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TD THE 



J^istoryof Old Derryfield, 



BY WILLIAM ELLERY MOORE. 



PART FIRST. 
PRICE TWENTY-FIVE CENTS. 



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CONTRIBUTIONS JJJlL 

TO THE (j ^^* ^ 

HISTORY OF DERRYFIELD, 

NEW HAMPSHIRE. 

TOPOGRAPHY AND LANDSCAPE 



AS MODIFIED BY TORRENTS FROM MELTING ICE-FIELDS, TOGETHER 

WITH SOME ACCOUNT OF EARLY FLOODS AND OTHER 

LOCAL EVIDENCES OF A GLACIAL EPOCH. 

BY WILLIAM E. MOORE. 



A PAPER READ BEFORE THE 



MANCHESTER HISTORIC ASSOCIATION. 



PART I. 



PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOR. 



PRICE TWENTY-FIVE CENTS. 



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Entered according to Act of Congress 

in the 

Office of the Librarian at Washington, D. C. 



CONTRIBUTIONS 



HISTORY OF DERRYFIELD 



BY WILLIAM E. MOORE. 



CHAPTER I. 

PRELIMINARY — LANDMARKS — ROCK RIMMON — THE PINNACLE — MERRI- 
MACK — PISCATAQUOG — BLACK BKOOK — COHAS — MASSABESIC 
LAKE — SPECIAL FEATURES, ETC. 

THE conscientious and self-respecting historian will always 
aim at relating not only the truth but the whole truth. His- 
tories of Derryfield have been written, but none of them began 
at the beginning. It does not need to be added that very much 
was omitted. 

The present undertaking will give some account of pre-his- 
toric times and will be brought down to date. The whole period 
covered embraces more than a thousand centuries — how much 
more cannot with certainty be computed. In the presence of 
this time-problem the wisest are ignorant, since the facts with 
which we have first to deal refer to times so remote as to make 
ancient history a tale of yesterday The story to be related in 
these opening chapters relies for evidence upon no witnesses — 
there were none — neither upon myth, kgend or tradition. Our 
sole authorities are certain eloquent " sermons in stones " and 
sundry decipherable "books in the running brooks." These, 
however, supply ample and conclusive testimony. 



4 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 

All the available sources of information will be examined, and 
the animal, vegetable and mineral creation interrogated. No 
stone will be left unturned, no field unploughed, no plant or 
animal permitted to escape. 

LANDMARKS. 

For the present we defer giving details of the early occupa- 
tion and settlement of Derryfield and confine our view to some 
prominent features of its natural scenery and topography. To 
present these in intelligent order it will be necessary to broaden 
our hoiizon to include the entire landscape, from the highlands 
on the east to the mountains rising west of the Merrimack. 

From the river valley the ground ascends rapidly at first, then 
broadening into an extensive and nearly level plain, and again 
mounting abruptly to the height of land in the eastern fore- 
ground. Here the chief elevations are known as Wilson, Bald, 
and Oak or Heath-Hen hills. From these highlands a magnifi- 
cent panorama salutes the eye, and as the sun illuminates the 
picture a thousand points of splendor punctuate the wide and 
varied scene. 

To the north may be seen Mt. Belknap and the Gilford moun- 
tains, as well as a portion of the Ossipee and Sandwich groups, 
while with favoring conditions glimpses of the Franconia range 
may be seen without a glass. To the northwest is a distinct 
view of Kearsarge and Ragged mountains, while in Vermont 
the distant crest of Ascutney breaks the line of the horizon. 
Westward and trending south we aie confronted with Crotchet 
and Temple mountains, dominated by Pack and Grand Monad- 
nock, the blue lift of Wachuset in Massachusetts closing the 
grand sweep as if of a hemisphere. 

But these, with others scarcely less conspicuous, form only 
the background of the picture, for nearer and in front stand the 
Uncanoonucks and Joe English, flanked by the Dunbarton, 
Mount Vernon and Lyndeborough ridges, while nearer still are 
the rounded slopes of Hackett, Shirley, Scribner's, and Yacum 



HISTORY OF DEKKVFIELD. 5 

hills, with a host of lesser eminences completing the details of 
a picturesque landscape, which for quiet and restful beauty is 
unrivalled in southern New Hampshire. 

Ancient Derr) field included the whole river front, from above 
the falls at Amoskeag on the north to below Goffe's falls on the 
south, and the mile-limit to the east crossed the summit of 
Wilson hill. 

ROCK RIMMON. 

Directly west of Amoskeag falls, upon a level plateau extend- 
ing from the ancient river terrace, Rock Rimmon lifts its solid 
shoulder of gneiss above the plain. This rock is an object of 
great interest, attracts many visitors, and offers a most superb 
view of the Piscataquog and Merrimack valleys. The easterly 
escarpment is a sheer and inaccessible precipice of one hundred 
and seventeen feet, the crest reaching an altitude of more than 
three hundred feet above the bed of the river.* The summit is 
easily reached from the western and northern slopes. 

THE PINNACLE. 

Eight miles away to the north, on the west bank of the Mer- 
rimack, is another bald and rocky peak, mounting also from a 
terrace-plain, rising even higher than its Derr)field rival. Just 
west and touching the base of the Pinnacle is a small lake. The 
water is very deep, is popularly believed to have no bottom, and 
in area and contour is said to exactly match the outline of the 
Pinnacle itself. It has been contended that this great mass of 
rock was lifted bodily from the bed of the lake and the hole 
afterwards filled with water. When the Pinnacle slides back to 
its old quarters we may the more reatlily assent to this theory. 
A substantial observatory hass been erected upon the summit, 
from which exceptionally fine views may be had. 

* The exact figures, taken from the field-notes of the City En.£;ineer, are as follows : Top 
of rock above city elevation, 296. -!5 feet ; base above the same level, 179. S3 feet, and about 95 
feet above low-water mark at Amoskeag eddy. Extreme height of rock, 116.53 ^^^^' 



CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 



THE MERRIMACK. 



This river is now a continuous stream from its sources to the 
sea, but there is little doubt that the present valley was once 
filled with a great chain of lakes, extending from the Winne- 
pesauke on the north to an indeterminate point to the south, 
certainly as far as ancient Dunstable. The evidence in support 
of this view is conclusive and will be considered in detail here- 
after. Along the course of the river the ancient terraces form 
a conspicuous feature. 

THE PISCATAQUOG. 

This river enters the Merrimack on the west bank, some two 
miles below Amoskeag falls. The valley extends in a north- 
westerly direction, passing to the west of Rock Rimmon. The 
old terraces on either bank are remarkable. 

BLACK BROOK. 

This considerable water-course has its source in the Dunbar- 
ton hills, twelve miles away, flows southeasterly and enters the 
Merrimack on the west bank a short distance above Amoskeag 
falls. The significent relation of this now somewhat reduced 
stream to our history will become more apparent as the record 
proceeds. 

COHAS BROOK. 

Aside from a number of inconsiderable brooks and rivulets, 
this is the only local water-way remaining unnoticed. It is the 
outlet of Massabesic lake and enters the Merrimack on the east 
bank, immediately below Goffe's falls. The foregoing, therefore, 
comprise all the principal water systems properly belonging to 
the Derryfield map, or which are of importance as relating to 
our present inquiry. 



HISTORY OF DERRYFIELD. 7 

MASSARESIC. 

Four miles to the east, and wholly within the bounds of an- 
cient Chester, this fine body of water lies in a series of bays, so 
joined by necks and separated by headlands as to include a shore- 
line of not less than thirty-six miles. From this lake the great 
manufacturing city of Manchester derives its water-supply. The 
Massabesic is dotted with numerous islands and surrounded by 
highlands, conspicuous among them being a splendid rocky 
prbmontory on the Auburn shore, Minot's ledge, and the moun- 
tain in Chester familiarly known as the "Devil's Den." The 
old water-marks plainly show a much higher lake-level in a not 
remote period, the water then wholly covering the present high- 
way and involving the out-lymg meadows and lowlands. Several 
smaller ponds are found within the limits of ancient Derryfield, 
but none calling for more than passing recognition, 

SPECIAL FEATURES. 

Over and above the more prominent landmarks of the terri- 
tory we have attempted to describe there are in addition a num- 
ber of less conspicuous but even more striking points of interest. 
Chief among these are the following : 

1. The great clay deposits about the Hooksett Pinnacle, and 
extending north, especially on the east bank of the river. 

2. The enormous accumulations of sand upon the site of Der- 
ryfield proper. 

3. The stupendous bulk of water-worn stones and gravel, high 
above modern water levels, in ancient terraces and moraines. 

4. Certain remarkable instances of rock-wear performed by 
pre-historic streams. 

5. Travelled blocks and rock-fragments transported from dis- 
tant centres of dispersion. 

6. Curious survivals of tropical trees and shrubs. 



8 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 

These, with added evidences of the work done by water in 
another age, will be considered in the proper place, when it will 
be shown that these wonderful monuments now bear mute but 
unimpeachable testimony to the existence of powerful and long- 
continued currents, flowing in so vast a volume as to make the 
proudest river of to-day a pla) thing. These propositions, with 
the facts referable to them, are as certain as anything in Deut- 
eronomy, but we regret to say there are still otherwise intelli- 
gent people who refuse to believe them. The Agnostic claims 
that he can know nothing, and is aware of it ; but even such 
an one is less difficult to convince than he who likewise knows 
nothing but has no knowledge of it. 

Should it be desired to prove beyond question that New Eng- 
land was once the scene of volcanic activity, a piece of Roxbury 
pudding stone would be sufficient. So, in reference to our pres- 
ent purpose, any strip of land in New Hampshire, with hills 
and valleys and water-courses, will serve for illustration. Such 
a region was Derryfield — a territory one mile wide and eight 
miles long — ranging upon the Menimack, and now the river- 
front of Manchester. 



CHAPTER II. 

THE A(;E of ice-water — GRADUAL DISAPPEAR ANXE OF WATER — EARTH 
MAKES STEAM — A WITNESS OR TWO. 

Stated by the best obtainable evidence, this zone of ours has 
passed through at least one — possibly several — glacial epochs. 
We have now to consider only the last, the effects of whicli are 
still to be seen about us on every hand, when sought for with 
asking eyes. 

The gl.'.cial and inter-glacial theories, as now understood and 
generally accepted, offer a wondcrlully inviting ficdd for study. 
No time will be lost in any discussion of the causes which made 
necessary an age of ice, and we shall now simply illustrate our 
history with some pictures showing the action of water, notably 
of streams proceechng from rapidly melting ice-fields. 

We are tempted to record much matter not wholly within the 
scope of our storv ; we find it difficult to avoid asking and even 
attempting some answer to questions which trooj:> about and 
beset us at every turn, but must be content with a few prelim- 
inary generalizations. 

We may conceive Earth in its desolation, its first-boni naked- 
ness, before desire arose, absolutely without life other than that 
which may have been potential. We then reach a later period in 
which there was indeed life, existing in low forms, maintained 
with difficult)', intermittent and migratory. Still later we recog- 
nize a true life-bearing age, in which [jlant-^ and animals inclus- 
ive of man appeared, moved and died. 

To the foregoing it seems necessary to add that as there were 
life-bearing and non-life-bearing [periods so there were non-life- 
producing as well as life )ielding zones. Moreover, that climatic 
changes in the same zone rendered it now fit now unfit tor life, 
and this entirely without reference to elevation and sub.sidence 



lO CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 

or any other so-called cataclysmal operation of the crust of our 
planet. We intend to mean that the surface of solid Earth has 
been by turns so blasted with fire, devastated by ice, and deluged 
with water, that for long periods of time and large continental 
areas life ot most sorts was out of the question. 

Our orthodox friends will observe that we have no wish to 
ignore the flood ; on the contrary, we insist upon several and 
as many rainbows as called for. 

THE DISAPPEARANCE OF WATER. 

We assert with some confidence that there was once much 
more water upon the surface of our globe than at present; the 
oceans were larger, the inland waters and streams of greater 
volume. Should this position need reinforcement let us admit, 
as it seems we must, that the earth once nourished no life, either 
animal or vegetable, and we have at once nameless millions of 
fluid tons to be somehow accounted for. Nor can it be claimed 
that the atmosphere then and always held moisture in suspen- 
sion as now, or that absorption by percolation was a process of 
the earlier as well as ot the later stages of creation. We are 
thus brought face to face with a curious problem : Without 
plants or animals, with an atmosphere totally rejecting it and 
the earth stubbornly declining to take it in at the pores, what 
was the status of water and where its abiding place ? 

THE EARTH MAKES STEAM. 

Not to be entirely in the dark or beyond our depth, we may 
hint at the appearance and concede the existence of steam in 
the earlier cycles and must give it a place as one of the prime 
factors in the complicated processes of evolution, and to this 
day and hour a powerful agent in its still uncompleted opera- 
tions, to which it is not our present purpose to refer. Our read- 
ers are expected to comfortably fix upon dates, either as to the 
appearance or duration of the phenomena described or to be 



HISTORY OF DEKRYFIELD. II 

described in these opening chapters. We say only and stand by 
by it, that there was fire, water and steam, fume of gas and' 
molten flood, ice and snow, by turns and altogether, in such 
horrible fashion as no new nor old notion of hell can illustrate. 
If we seek for evidence, present and eloquent witnesses await 
our interrogations. 

Let us first suppose such a state of things as has been hinted 
at, when there was this preponderating amount of surface water ; 
that following this period, in necessary sequence, the effects of 
evaporation and condensation succeeded ; that in simple obedi- 
dience to cosmical laws milder methods of dissipation of energy 
were made possible, and that finally, during a period of intense 
cold, the whole or nearly the whole maximum mass of water at 
this parallel was converted into ice, and we are furnished with 
at least a tentative theory if not a working hypothesis. 

One familiar with the testimony of the rocks and the environ- 
ment of our modern water-systems cannot doubt that something 
much like this did happen ; that the very zone we now inhabit 
was once and probably more than once delivered over to the 
rigors of an arctic winter. In the light of the highest and best 
equi[)ped recent scientific authorities no prime fact is more 
rightfully believed than that a large portion of this now temper- 
ate belt was once deeply covered with ice, and for so vast a 
cycle that it must have been regarded as perpetual by the people 
of that age, if people there were. 

A WITNESS OR TWO. 

Again without pausing to discuss the causes which brought 
about this condition, and not even considering the possibility of 
its recurrence, it assuredly follows that such an age of ice could 
not and did not come and go without leaving its mark. 

During a long and busy life Prof. Agassiz accumulated a vast 
amount of information as to the agency of glacial action in pro- 
ducing geological effects. A student of glaciers for forty years, 



12 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 

and growing up in a glacial region, he was familiar with their 
phenomena. He says : " As soon as geologists have learned 
to appreciate the extent to which our globe has been covered 
and fashioned by ice, they may be less inclined to advocate 
changes of level between land and sea, whenever they meet with 
the evidence of the action of water." 

Charpentier speaks of "perpetual snow-sheets and glaciers 
reaching the sea, as far down as the middle of the present tem- 
perate zone." Prt)f. Gunning characterizes the New England 
ice-sheet as "colossal." Prof. Newbury, of Columbia College, in 
a review of the evidence, reaches this conclusion : "The glac- 
iers and snow-fields of Greenland stretched continuously down 
the Atlantic coast, to and below New York. * * * * The 
highlands of New England were com])letely covered and pr(jba- 
bly deejily buried in sheets of ice and snow." Prof. Dana says 
the ice-sheet was "semi-continental," and adds: "The height 
to which scratches and di'ift occur about the White Mountains 
prox'es tiiat ihe upper .surf. ice of the ice in that region was 6, GOO 
or 6.500 feet in heigl.t, and hence that the ice was not less than 
5,000 teet in thickness over the whole of that pait of northern 
New England. P^icts also show that the surface height in south- 
western Massachusetts was at least 2,800 feet, in southern Con- 
necticut 1,000 feet or more." He again remarks that "the 
continent underwent great modifications in the featiu'es of the 
surface thiough the agency of ice," and points out in great 
detail the effects produced by glacial torrents. 

It would be easy to multiply authorities, but since they can 
be consulted by questioners and (.loubters we will not forestall 
their studies. We assume, then, tiiat there is no one prime 
fact in the [last annals of our planet better proved than that of 
an age of continental glaciers. Evidence of this is increasingly 
convincing and ma\- be found for the seeking upon nearly every 
square yard of the hillsides and valleys of New England. 

Mankind are j^rone to treat with indifference that which is 
common, and the familiar aspect of our lakes and rivci's, even of 



CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE I3 

the sea, provoke in us no commensurate idea of the stupendous 
force vvliich water is capable of exertin_o^. 

Two hundred and odd years a<j:o the earhcst printed descrip- 
tion of Niagara was given to the world by Father Hennepin. 
His account of this "vast and pi-odigious cadence of water" is 
a mixture of childish exaggeration and sober truth." But the 
sublimity ot this great cataract, which discharges the enormous 
volume of eighteen million cubic feet of water every second, 
needs not the aid ot description. About 9,800 cubic miles of 
fresh water — nearly half the quantity on the entire globe — are 
in the upper lakes, and all the water from these huge reservoirs 
makes the circuit of the falls, the St. Lawrence, the ocean, 
vapor, rain, and a retuin to the kikes in a little more than a 
century and a half. 

But how shrinks this brief cycle of time and how fade the out- 
lines of the scene wdien in imagination we stand beside the 
gigantic operations of the past. What some of those operations 
were let Mr. Cla''ence King tell in his own words. In alluding 
to volcanic activities he speaks of "what was once a world-wide 
and immense exhibition of telluric energy * * * distortions 
of the crust, deludes of molten stone, emissions of mineral dust, 
heated waters and noxious gases," and asserts that modern vol- 
canic phenomena are "insignificant when com|)ared with the 
guhs of molten matter which were thrown U[:) in the great mas- 
sive eruptions " of the past. 

He adds : " Of climatic catastrojjhes we have the record of 
at least one ;" and in reference to a glacial period he sets forth 
the destructive effects of the invasion of our latitude bv polar 
ice, and the devastating power of the floods which were charac- 
teristic of its recession. He contends that the modern rivers 
are mere echoes of their parent streams in the early quai ternary 
age and utterly incaj^able, even with infinite time, to perform 
the work of glacial torrents. Citing the wonderful canons of 
the Cordilleras, he sa)S "they could never have been carved by 
the pigmy rivers of this climate to the end of time." In view 



i4 HISTORY OF DERRYFIELD. 

of all the ascertainable facts, Mr. King believes they present 
" perfectly overwhelming evidence that the general deposition 
of aerial water, as compared either with the phenomena of the 
immediately preceding period or with our own succeeding con- 
dition, constituted an age of water-catastrophe whose destructive 
power we only now begin distantly to suspect." 

We have thus briefly cited the few foregoing authorities, in 
order to reinforce and fortify our interpretation of certain local 
phenomena, and to the end that our theories may not wilfully 
be divorced from fact. To the mathematician, the geologist, 
the astronomer — to those who walk without stumbling in the 
wide ways leading to the sun — we leave the task of explanation. 

We call to our support at this point but one other authority, 
and quote from the works o.f Prof. Hitchcock, whose researches 
in the very field of our inquiry are precisely in point and entitle 
him to a hearing. He says : " The evidence is clear of the pas- 
sage of the ice-sheet over all the higher New England summits." 
The facts illustrating this statement may be found in the geo- 
logical reports for IMaine, New Hampshire, Vermont and Mas- 
sachusetts ; for example as to Katahdin, the White Mountains, 
the Green Mountains, and for Greylock in the state last named. 
These reports are easily accessible. Prof. Hitchcock describes 
in detail the moraines and the upper and lower till, and of the 
former he says: "The capping of the hill is loose, the frag- 
ments are rough, not far removed from their source, commonly 
lying naturally." He concludes that these materials were held 
in the ice at the time of its melting. He also refers to exten- 
sive "sloping plains of gravel and sand, deposited by streams 
from melting ice acting upon the moraine." He concludes by 
remarking that "the numerous kames, elevated sand plains and 
river terraces came into existence with the copious floods of 
water resulting from the dissolution of the ice. The history of 
the ice-age is incomplete without a discussion of the events 
occurring m this great continental freshet." 



HISTORY OF DERRYFIELD. 1 5 

Our own century beholds Earth, as if newly-awakened from 
a dream ; draped in beautiful orarments, she has striven to hide 
the scars of her terrific struggle for life. Time has obliterated 
much ; but there still remain records of an age that is past, and 
the clear eye of science — the vision of him who seeks to know 
— may still see the ancient ice-cap moving majestically over the 
spruce and fir-clad hills of our own horthland. 

In the tremor of forgotten earthquakes and the outburst of 
crater fires ; in the fall of dew and the music of rain ; in waiting 
flakes of snow or crystals of frost ; in the quiet creep of glaciers 
or the rush of enfranchised waters we recognize the play of the 
old terrestrial forces by which the frame-work of our Earth has 
been evolved. 



CHAPTER III. 



CONXERNING EARLY FLOODS. 



There is at this flay no excuse for descendants of our Derry- 
field ancestors not knowing that a literal river of ice once flowed 
down the now peaceful valley of the Merrimack. Its direction, 
volume and extent are mapped upon their rock-wiinkled home- 
steads. It crawled southward, grinding- along at the rate of 
a foot a week — a mile in a century. It at some time halted, 
for how long we may oidy guess, and then began the terrible 
retreat. The rate of recession is not so well determined, but 
was without doubt comparatively rap'd, though probably arrested 
at various stages and for undefined periods. To judge from the 
wide-s|ircad havoc to which this near section has been subjected 
tiiere must have been a halt near us. We know — since we 
stand upon the scene of the event — that from the foot of this 
retreating, melting glacier, poured frightful down-rushes of tur- 
bid water, by whose action the landscape acquired its present 
characteristic leatures, and by which the suiface materials of 
this region have been so strangely sifted and assorted. 

The touii.stof to-day who shall stand beside the source of the 
Arveiron, " who drinks in the sublime view at the foot of the 
glacier ; he wlio beholds this marvel, glorious with icy portico, 
facade and pyramid, who hears at night the scornful roar of the 
Alpine flood," may peradventure frame some dim conce[jtion of 
energies which seem to know no yesteiday nor morrow. But 
greater things than these, which promised to flow forever, have 
passed away. 

Let us come nearer home. Passing westward from the river 
let us climb the isolated ridge of Rock Rimmon — if, indeed, it 
be not also submerged — and from that point observe. To the 
west and trending northerly lies the valley of the Piscataquog ; 



HISTORY OF DERRYFIELD. 1/ 

to the east front, ranging north and south, the valley of the 
Merrimack, and between these the lesser valley of Black Brook. 
From the point of time we have chosen — a matter of seventy 
or eighty thousand years ago — these little resemble the peace- 
ful landscapes with which we are now acquainted. 

Three powerful, ice-fed streams, terrible in their energy, are 
forcing their way southward, carving channels as they move ; 
bursting their banks, assaulting rocky barriers, raging, roaring, 
eroding ; with counter and cross-currents, eddies, whirlpools, 
horrible, precipitous narrows, and tremendous rapids, forerun- 
ners of still more tremendous cataracts. Borne along and 
whirled hither and yon in the midst of these frightful torrents 
we see indistinguishable masses of debris and angular blocks of 
frozen clay, with an interminable procession of rifted fragments 
of inland icebergs, accompanied with stones and rocks of differ- 
ing dimensions, from the pebble to the bowlder. Add to this 
the gloom of a cloudy sky, the ceaseless fall of rain, the riot of 
winds, the song of the tempest. Try to picture the indescriba- 
ble, continuous rush and turmoil of the elements, the intermit- 
tent thunder of the pounding ice and bowlders, then turn to the 
shrunken rivers of to-day. 

The figures of the transporting power of water are startling. 
We know the force is as the sixth power of the velocity ; that 
is, by doubling the rate we increase the power sixty four times. 
To give concrete examples : A stream running at the rate of 
three inches per second will wear away fine, tough clay ; with 
a velocity of thirty-six inches per second the current will remove 
angular fragments of rock from two to three inches in diameter. 
The latter rate is quite moderate — a little more than two miles 
an hour — and presents but a picture in little of the rapidity of 
our earlier floods. We have taken no account of the influence 
of gravity operating on descending slopes, and we may also call 
to mind the fact that rocks lose nearly one-third of their weight 
in water. 

2 



10 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 

Let US now inquire in a general way what we find to be the 
environment of our typical New England river. At its sources 
we usually discover great rock masses, detached from the cliffs 
of the mountains. Along the course of the precipitous, tum- 
bling torrent — the trout-water of the sportsman — we find im- 
mense bowlders, more or less carved and water-worn, their angu- 
lar projections rounded, their bulk diminished and lessened as 
they course down the rough miles of attrition. At the foot of 
the descent we shall find aggregations of smaller bowlders, with 
cobble-stones and pepples. He who wades and follows, rod in 
hand, the bed of one of these mountain tributaries may step 
confidently from one stone to another and find firm footing, rare- 
ly meeting one that turns under his tread. The reason is as 
simple as it is significant, for each of these detached rocks has 
been many times rolled over and wrenched from its lodgment 
until it has at length found the groove that fits and holds it. 

Where two mountain streams unite we shall generally find a 
tongue of land, or rather a delta of stone, usually symmetrical 
in form and built of assorted layers of stones and pebbles, seem- 
ingly put together with the discrimination of design. These 
shining, parti-colored beds are the bowlders in miniature. Still 
lower we find the smaller pebbles, gravels of varying fineness, 
then sand, and last of all mud or silt. 

We can never view a bank of earth, laid bare by accident or 
design, exhibiting its curiously stratified layers, without refer- 
ring to this sorting and sifting process, this violent picking and 
choosing of torrents, while we stand in wonder at the delicate 
threads of deposition laid almost tenderly in place by succeeding 
quiet waters. 

We have space merely to mention other tremendous agencies 
which have contributed to the landscape some of its most rugged 
features. We can only now hint at the ruin caused by streams 
dammed by drifting ice, or by the accumulation of more perman- 
ent obstacles, but there should not be left out of account the 



HISTORY OF DERRYFIELD. I9 

more terrible effects of land-slides choking the mountain gorges 
until the gathering waters burst the mighty barriers, carrying 
everything before them. That almost inconceivable havoc was 
not infrequently caused by these agencies our torn and ravaged 
plains attest. The White Mountains afford evidence of ancient 
land slides in many places. The Willey slide, though not large, 
became widely known from the loss of life which accompanied 
it. The great slide in VVaterville was the most extensive ever 
known in this region. An immense mass of loosened earth and 
rock was precipitated to the valley from the steep western slope 
of Tri-Pyramid mountain, the material covering acres in extent 
and reaching as far as Mad river. The writer has personally 
visited and examined the scene of this great land-slip. Within 
quite recent years a considerable slide occurred on Cherry moun- 
tain, to which excursion trains were run to enable the curious to 
witness the unaccustomed sight. 

But by far the most striking and picturesque slide ever occur- 
ring in New Hampshire took place in the town of Albany, in 
the county of Carroll, only a few years since. The north side 
of Passaconaway mountain was cleft from peak to base, laying 
bare the solid granite bed for the entire distance. The slide is 
narrow at the top, gradually widening as it descends and comes 
down in a straight line until the foot-hills are encountered. 
Here the mass was sharply deflected to the west and forced in- 
to the valley of Downs's brook. The north slope of Passacona- 
way is uncommonly steep and is densely wooded to the summit. 
But every tree and rock, inclusive of every inch of the soil, was 
carried down, leaving the very core of the mountain as clean as 
if swept with a new broom. The brook-valley was completely 
choked up with earth and stones piled with trees in inextricable 
confusion, rising many feet in height, and for nearly three miles 
the banks of the stream were lined with the blackened trunks 
of great firs and spruces. The water rose incredibly and finally 
forced its way through, but a splendid trout stream was ruined. 



20 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 

The event occurred in the night and had no witnesses, but its 
horrible rumble and grinding roar shook the earth and was dis- 
tinctly heard and felt by the inmates of houses more than five 
miles distant. Passaconaway — signifying Child of the Bear — 
rises to a height of more than four thousand feet and is the high- 
est summit of the Sandwich range. The writer has repeatedly 
visited the locality and made himself familiar with the scene by 
climbing for a prudent distance up the slippery bed of this huge 
but unworked quarry. Viewed from the Swift river valley, com- 
monly known as the "Great Interval," at a distance of some 
four miles by an air-line, the picture is magnificent. The great 
rock-floor appears as steep as the sides of a church roof, but the 
feat of climbing it has been successfully accomplished, and what 
is more astonishing and apparently incredible, several persons 
have ascended the summit by way of the "Kirch Intervale Trail" 
on the south or Tamworth side, and safely walked down the 
slide to the foot. It is well that they walked ; to run would be 
fatal, for once running there could be no stopping, and an at- 
tempt to put on the brake by lying down would be simply a 
changed mode of motion, as one would get about two miles of 
roll, with an accompaniment of bumps better imagined than de- 
scribed. In the exercise of an instinct quite common to many 
of us, we have quite decided to go down in a sitting posture, with 
a series of short hitches, which may consume time but will con- 
tribute to our peace of mind. A number of ladies have climbed 
Passaconaway, but none have made use of the rock-toboggan. 
This is reserved for the new woman. 

Flowing from the east flank of Tri-Pyramid mountain and en- 
tering the Swift river a mile or more west of the base of Passa- 
conaway is Sabbaday brook. Two miles from its mouth may 
be seen the finest waterfall in the White Mountains. It is a 
right-angled fall, the first plunge being to the north, the second 
to the east. At the foot of the upper fall is a large, bowl-shaped 
basin, some twelve feet in diameter. At the foot of the lower 



HISTORY OF DERRYFIELD. 21 

fall is another basin, and leading from it is a deep flume cut in 
solid trap rock. In the white, rushing foam of this flume, in the 
summer of 1873, the writer caught his first genuine "rainbow 
trout." The surroundings of this waterfall add a gloomy gran- 
deur to the scene. The deep gorge is enclosed by vertical walls 
of trap rock, the ascent to the top being up a natural stone stair- 
way, the steps as sharply defined as if cut with a chisel. Some 
miles further up, the stream has been overwhelmed by extensive 
land-slides and for a mile or more is entirely buried. The two 
brooks referred to are mountain streams of the first order, with 
wide valleys and free water-courses, averaging from two to three 
rods in width, and flowing, the first for a distance of six and the 
second for more than ten miles of winding water. 

The above, with many other features of great interest in this 
New Hampshire "garden of the gods" are little known, owing 
to remoteness of situation and difificulty of access, the distance 
from the nearest railway at Conway Corner being fifteen miles — 
the entrance between the frowning walls of Moat mountain and 
the peak of Chocorua. There is but one road by which to enter 
or return, and if one seeks a shorter way he must climb over 
the enclosing mountains. But woe to him who loses the trail, 
for there are thousands of acres of timber blown flat by hurri- 
canes, the passage of which is next to impossible. 

The foregoing, although removed from the immediate sur- 
roundings of our story, is given in cumulative support of what 
has gone before, and as furnishing striking instances of the pow- 
erful forces still reserved by nature. 

We shall not fail to find along the Merrimack valley at every 
mile of its course just what we might expect to find, in the light 
of the previous considerations. To localize the inquiry, we may 
now see both above and below Amoskeag falls, notably on the 
west bank, vast mounds of water-worn and water-borne deposits, 
consisting of sand, gravel and cobble-stones, the latter ranging 
from a few inches to a foot or more in diameter, and as various 



22 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 

in composition as in size. These accumulations lie many feet 
above any high water mark of which record or memory remains. 
To be reckoned in millions of tons, they lie where they were left 
of old in the rocky peninsulas between the floods. We may find 
them at greater or less elevations, alternating with deposits of 
sand, earth or clay, now presenting beautiful banks with differ- 
ing colored strata, or again in a rude aggregation of unassorted 
drift. Wherever found, and whether near or remote from exist- 
ing water-courses, from which many of them are far removed, 
these terrace-like elevations tell us of the waters that brought 
them there, 

A mile south of Rock Rimmon, passing over an elevated sand- 
plain, one comes suddenly to the brink of high bluffs, which as 
surely once looked upon a lake below them as Boar's Head looks 
upon the sea. The height, the waving contour-line following 
the shores of bays and inlets, the sunken river beds beyond and 
the shoals stretching between, all testify to the occupation and 
conquest of water in that sub-glacial era, of which so little is 
known, but concerning which so much still remains in records 
awaiting research and interpretation. 

We know in a half-thinking way that a great city occupying 
the site of ancient Derryfield is built upon sand. How came it 
here } To this there can be but one answer : It was made in 
the first instance and fetched here by water, however much it 
may have since been tossed about by the wind or shovelled about 
by man. In a similar mood we carelessly tread beneath our feet 
in the concrete foundations of our public walks the stones worn 
smooth in the beds of the elder floods. Our forests grow, our 
harvests thrive upon soil leached and filched from the moun- 
tains, while the very walls that give us shelter are built of clay 
ground in the glacial mills and precipitated in the still waters 
of glacial lakes. 

With the approach of summer the thoroughfares to the White 
Hills will be thronged with pilgrims. In the ceaseless but un- 



HISTORY OF DERRYFIELD, 23 

recognized work carried on in the laboratories of nature, asking 
only time and patience, how many inconceivable changes have 
been already wrought. Time and patience — given these what 
wonders have been achieved in the brief span of human effort ; 
with these, nature will continue to supplement her tireless work 
until the hills that remain shall follow those which have gone 
before. Slowly but surely water is performing its allotted work 
— the rivers are removing mountains. 

Let no false conclusions be drawn from the record, and no 
theory of unmixed evil be too hastily reached. Nature knows 
no wrath. Earth, rent and torn in its early struggle with titanic 
forces, succeeded to a period of rest and preparation. The 
ordeal through which she passed was not beyond the measure 
of her endurance, the baptism of water and fire was a consecra- 
tion to a nobler use. Nothing is sweeter than the memory of 
hardship and privations passed ; our planet shivered in a wintry 
night, with rattle of driving sleet, a season of frowning skies, 
a burden of icy sheets and snow-piled plains ; but in the infinite 
reaches of time, healed and pacified, there came a spring of 
grace and glory, a summer of fruitful seed, a harvest of plv^nty. 
So, from the womb of appalling danger, has been begotten the 
last inheritance — life. 

In the menacing roar of the thunderous fall, in the rainbow 
of its mist, and in the sea that swallows all, we seem to behold 
a glorious trinity of Power, Law and Order ; we bow reverently 
before the majesty of that Creative Will which walked in dark- 
ness upon the face of the primeval deep, which brooded upon 
the face of the waters. 



[A succeeding paper is in preparation, which will deal with 
added evidences and consider other effects of the epoch under 
discussion in the foregoing pages. It will form part second of 
the series and will be paged continuously from the present num- 
ber. Among the topics reserved for discussion are "The Sand 
Area," the " Great Clay Beds," " Pot Holes and Rock Wear," 
the "Devil's Pulpit," etc.] 




<5o9tribtJtio98 



TO THE 



J^istoryof Old Derryfield, 



BY WILLIAM ELLERY MOORE. 



PART SECOND. 



PRICE TWENTY-FIVE CENTS. 



CONTRIBUTIONS 



TO THE 



HISTORY OF DERRYFIELD, 

NEW HAMPSHIRE. 

SOME SPECIAL LOCAL FEATURES 



AS PRODUCED BY TORRENTS FROM MELTING ICE-FIELDS, TOGETHER 

WITH A FURTHER ACCOUNT OF EARLY FLOODS AND OTHER 

ALLIED EVIDENCES OF A GLACIAL EPOCH. 

BY WILLIAM E. MOORE. 



A. PAPER READ BEFORE THE 



MANCHESTER HISTORIC ASSOCIATION. 



PART II. 



PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOR. 



PRICE TWENTY-FIVE CENTS. 






Entered according to Act of Congress 

In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, 

District of Columbia. 

1897. 



CONTRIBUTIONS 



HISTORY OF DERRYFIELD, 



BY WILLIAM E. MOORE. 



CHAPTER IV. 

ROCKS IN PLACE — BOWLDERS — THE SAND AREA — THE GREAT CLAY BEDS 

— VEGETABLE SURVIVALS — RHODODENDRON SWAMP — POT HOLES 

AND ROCK WEAR, ETC. 

Evidences of a former period of volcanic activity in this imme- 
diate section are not wholly wanting, but it may be said roundly 
that there is no such evidence manifesting itself to the untrain- 
ed eye. We have no volcanic cones, no active or even extinct 
craters, and no lava beds. Aside from the presence of altered 
or metamorphic rock, and occasional trap dikes, we are aware of 
no plutonic material in the region we have described. 

The rocks in place within a radius of ten miles, an area extend- 
ing from the mountains on the west to beyond the water-shed 
line upon the east — consist generally of mica-schist, gneiss and 
granite, with the usual variety of quartzites. The principal 
beds in Derryfield proper are composed of gneiss, or bastard 
granite, and fine specimens of this archsean rock may be seen in 
the pillasters of the city hall. Quarries of pure granite are rare 
in this vicinity, although new ones are being from time to time 
opened and developed. 

We are not without a large representation of travelled blocks, 
and numerous enormous bowlders, which have been transported 



28 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 

from a distance may be seen in the neighborhood. One block, 
reckoned at not less sixty tons in weight, lies near Ray brook. 
Ten miles away, in the old settlement of Charmingfare, is one 
nearly double the former in size. Hundreds of others in assort- 
ed bulk are perched here and there in every direction and at 
all elevations. On Shirley hill, upon the very apex of the crest, 
are three heavy bowlders lying close together, evidently parts 
of one parent piece, and known far and wide as the "Tipping 
Rocks." Two of these, weighing many tons each, may be put 
in motion by the hand of a child ; the third could formerly be 
rocked back and forth with a slight pressure, but the experi- 
ments of thousands of visitors, and the efforts of vandals with 
lever and fulcrum, moved it at last once too much, and it now 
waits in place some power greater than the hand of man. Sev- 
eral of the larger rock masses are in the vicinity of the falls and 
some remarkable fragments lie upon the bank of the river, near 
the great eddy below Amoskeag. 

Mere coincidence cannot reasonably be assigned for the very 
frequent recurrence of the great bowlders in doubles or triplets, 
split apart, and the text-books do not appear to treat of the way 
in which this has been done, most writers making no allusion to 
it whatever. This phenomena, however, is so common and char- 
acteristic of transported rock-masses, carried for long distances 
through the agency of ice, that we are impelled to attempt some 
explanation. It must be conceded that rocks held fast in a mov- 
ing ice-sheet, or borne upon its surface, must during their jour- 
ney be subjected to great vicissitudes. A mass beginning with a 
position on top might end with a place at the bottom, or even 
be stranded along a lateral moraine. These incidents of its 
progress would be sufficient to account for the loss of angular 
projections as well as for the wearing, since they would be more 
or less rounded by coming in contact with other stones. But 
these conditions would hardly explain the separation of heavy 
bowlders into two or more fraerments. Our solution is that dur- 



HISTORY OF DERRYFIELD. 29 

ing the dissolution of the ice-cap these masses were released and 
fell headlong, sometimes for great distances, striking the earth 
with a force sufficient in many instances to shatter them in 
pieces. This theory would not only answer the question raised 
but would also account for the varying intervals between the 
parts of the pareiit mass. In our field studies we have frequent- 
ly met with such a rifted fragment and queried as to the where- 
about of its companions. We need hardly add that the eviden- 
ces of rock-weathering and the accumulation of moss or lichen, 
even upon the riven surfaces of the bowlders alluded to, show 
the fractures to be of great age, and that they must necessarily 
be referred to the time of impact at the point of deposition. It 
is quite easy to make allowance for the character of the surface 
upon which the rock chanced to strike ; the problem of the dis- 
tance through which it fell we gladly leave to the physicist. 



Garnet-bearing gneiss is quite common hereabout, some of 
the ledges near Rock Rimmon containing good specimens, but 
probably of no commercial importance. No valuable minerals 
have ever been found here, so far as we are aware, although 
beautiful crystals of quartz, felspar, hornblende and tourmaline 
are encountered, and small quantities of graphite are found in 
local ledges. Small but finely-polished porphyritic pebbles are 
found near by in the bed of the Merrimack, brought down from 
the neighborhood of Moosilauke mountain by way of Baker river 
and the Pemigewasset, others reaching us by way of the Winne- 
pesauke. Larger fragments of porphyritic rock are found at 
various levels, even upon the water-shed ridges, which points to 
the wide dispersion of this peculiar rock, as we understand it is 
not found in place nearer than the region of Winnepesauke lake. 
The text-books will sufificiently describe the character and trace 
to their habitat other transported minerals, some of which came 
to us from the Laurentian hills or even the remote wilds of 
Labrador. 



30 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 

THE SAND AREA. 

Roundly speaking, Derryfield was built upon the sand. Every 
chink, crack or crevice, every depression is filled with it ; plenum 
is the word. The depth of this vast deposit varies from twelve 
to twenty or more feet, and the great sloping sand-plains lie on 
either flank of the river valley. Before the Massabesic water- 
supply was introduced the people had mainly to rely upon wells, 
although there were a considerable number of fine springs, some 
of which are in use at the present day. A copious spring on 
Hanover square has been walled in and the water conducted in 
pipes to various points in the heart of the city, so that our citi- 
zens have the luxury of cool spring-water throughout the warmer 
months. An iron fountain in front of the city hall is fed from 
this supply, where thousands of our thirsty operatives daily slack 
their thirst. Most of the old wells are now disused or filled up, 
but in nearly every instance the digging of each well told the 
same story : First, an excavation though clear sand, both wind- 
blown and stratified, then smooth and rounded cobble-stones, 
beneath them coarse, water-bearing gravel, usuall}'- over-lying 
clay or hard-pan. The water-worn stones rest upon the gravel 
beneath the overlying deposits, precisely as they rested upon 
the beds of open and flowing streams, in that far-off epoch before 
the sand-burdened floods buried them. 

THE GREAT CLAY BEDS. 

As we have before hinted, there are along the course of the 
Merrimack, to the northward and mainly upon the east bank, a 
series of beds of very superior brick-clay, so extensive as to be 
practically inexhaustible. As elsewhere, these deposits are over- 
laid with a mantle of recent till, gravel, sand and loam. No one 
familiar with the structure of clay can conceive of its being de- 
posited in rapid water. These clays were laid down in the still 
waters of ancient lakes, having been ground between the upper 
9,nd nether^ mill-stones of the glaciers and transported to the 



HISTORY OF DERRYFIELD. 3I 

basins they afterwards occupied. It is true that they no longer 
occupy anything that resembles a basin, but lie high above the 
present water-level. But before the bed of the Merrimack be- 
came continuous and finally sank to the level of our time, the 
rock-barriers at Garvin's, Hooksett, Amoskeag and Goffe's falls 
must have given way, at least sufficiently to drain the lake. The 
first business of the released water would be to carve a channel 
through materials of the least resistance, and prodigious quanti- 
ties of clay went out, possibly to form new deposits elsewhere, 
leaving the remainder of the beds where they are found to-day. 

It is not easy to conceive of the origin of such vast accumula- 
tions. We know that the chief ingredient of the finer clays is 
decomposed felspar — pure kaolin — and we are at no loss to 
locate this mineral in the almost universal presence of felspathic 
rocks in this region, notably granite and gneiss. These rocks, 
then, supplied the materials, and the very fact that it was yield- 
ed in such enormous quantities is an independent witness to the 
magnitude of those sub-glacial phenomena to which so many of 
the common facts of to-day are to be referred. The former 
presence of felspar in excessive quantities in this locality is evi- 
denced by the composition of the rocks in certain abandoned 
quarries, notably along the Hooksett road, where may now be 
found remarkably fine crystals of felspar of unusual size. 

As to the precise method by which the clays as we know them 
were in the first instance formed there is scant evidence, and 
the subject asks for further treatment at the hands of geological 
experts. Authorities assert, however, that the stones in the 
ever moving and shifting ice were ground together and that the 
fine dust thus liberated was transported by water to suitable 
points of deposit, resulting in beds of clay or earth. 

It may further be borne in mind that during and immediately 
following the final melting of the ice-cap much of the accumu- 
lated earth, clay, gravel and stones were left in unstratified de- 
posits, in immense quantities and often of great height, and that 



32 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 

these were attacked, re-transported and the materials re-arranged 
through the agency of water, still flowing in great volume from 
the receding ice to the northward. So that when we contem- 
plate the fact that the bowlder clay and in fact the great bulk 
of all unstratified drift was used over and over again, the prob- 
lem of the origin of the great modern clay beds does not seem 
obscure. 

Prof. Dana says the melting of the great ice-sheet was the 
cause of mighty floods in the valleys, so vast as not to be com- 
pared with those resulting from the breaking up of the ordinary 
winter. He adds that with the melting of the lower one thous- 
and feet of ice came the principal deposition of the coarser gravel 
and stones, the material being " heaped pell-mell over the land," 
This happy phrase accurately describes the condition which we 
find prevailing to-day in the fields, pastures and plains about us. 
A map of our farm-lands, drawn upon a scale to give the stone 
wall division lines, would show an almost inconceivable bulk of 
this material in single and double walls, while thousands of fields 
dotted with the familiar rock-heaps, and numberless ravines, by- 
places and road-side ways serving as unloading places for name- 
less millions of tons of this "pell-mell" material, yet represent 
but a very small fraction of the original deposit. These modest 
monuments of New England thrift and industry give us but a 
faint conception of the operation of the beneficent forces of na- 
ture, which, while they seemed destructive, were making Earth 
a fit abiding-place for man. We should add that most of the 
material was at first left unstratified, while that which found its 
way to'lake basins or to shoals and bars in flowing streams would 
have become stratified, and that is precisely what is found in 
the region under consideration. 

Dana also remarks the coarsely stony character of the upper 
part of the terrace formation, and concludes that the glacial 
flood was greatly and suddenly augmented in depth and violence 
toward the close of the melting period. 



HISTORY OF DERRYFIELD. 33 

In Wright's "Ice Age in North America" the author says: 
" In the deltas of rivers the sifting power of water may be ob- 
served. Where a mountain stream first debouches upon a plain 
the force of its current is such as to move large pebbles, or bowl- 
ders even two or three feet in diameter. As the current is 
checked the particles moved by it become smaller and smaller 
until only the finest sediment is transported * * * and this 
is deposited as a thin film over the previous coarse deposit. 
Upon the repetition of the flood another layer of coarser mate- 
rial is spread over the surface, and so, in successive stages, is 
built up a series of stratified deposits. Water moving with vari- 
ous degrees of velocity is the most perfect sieve imaginable." 

The author reaches many conclusions, specially applicable to 
the restricted field of our inquiry, which we have only space to 
epitomize : When a glacier dissolves, the torrents of water aris- 
ing tear down and distribute as sediment to distant valleys the 
material accumulated by the slow movement of centuries ; that 
the transportation by water from the front of glaciers is certain- 
ly of immense extent ; that the glacial debris still remaining is 
but an insignificant remnant of the total amount transported, 
and that sub-glacial streams must have sent their turbid currents 
down through every New England outlet. 

Prof. Shaler estimates the total amount of drift in New Eng- 
land and its neighboring terminal moraines at 750 cubic miles, 
or more than the mass of the White Mountains. If evenly dis- 
tributed this would make a layer of about sixty-five feet. 

Prof. Wright says that New England is gridironed by a system 
of gravel-ridges deposited by glacial streams, and that in these 
and in the terminal moraines we may study the skeleton of the 
continental ice-sheet as intelligently as the anatomist can study 
the skeleton of a dissected animal. 

The same authority says : "The scenes to have been wit- 
nessed during the advance of the ice-sheet are as nothing com- 
pared with those which must have occurred during its retreat." 
" During the last stages of the great ice-age, through the months 



34 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 

of July, August and September, warm southerly winds and a 
glowing sun were combining to dissolve, with utmost rapidity, 
the vast masses of ice which still lingered in the country. The 
channels were then compelled to carry off not only the annual 
precipitation, but the stored-up precipitation which had been 
accumulating as glacial ice for thousands of years." "These 
floods along the lines of glacial drainage have left their marks, 
and their direction and extent can be traced almost as readily as 
in the case of the present streams." 

The careful observer upon our own ground, within thirty min- 
utes walk of the mayor's ofifice, will find sand and gravel terraces 
one or two hundred feet above the present flood-plain ; and these 
terraces approximate if they do not accurately mark the highest 
stage of the closing floods of the ice-age. 

VEGETABLE SURVIVALS. 

Scattered at not rare intervals throughout this section a few 
sassafras trees may be found, but they are more frequently met 
with upon the shore and islands of Massabesic lake. Two spec- 
imens of the slippery elm are growing in the fine grove known 
as Arcadia, northwest of Rock Rimmon and upon the east ter- 
race of the Piscataquog. These are the only specimens of this 
tree, growing wild, with which we are acquainted in this vicinity. 
Cedars are not uncommon, and are frequently seen, being more 
plentiful toward the sea-coast. 

These with other curious survivals of a former tropical climate 
in this latitude, probably closely following the age of ice, are of 
great significance, and we offer them in cumulative support of 
the existence of such a period ; and the recorded and published 
facts concerning the discovery of the remains of tropical animals 
and plants as far north as southern Greenland, removes our mod- 
est assumptions from the charge of improbability. On the oth- 
er hand we have purposely refrained from giving here a cata- 
logue of survivals of an arctic flora and fauna, which undoubt- 
edly accompanied the age of arctic ice-fields. 



HISTORY OF DERRYFIELD. 35 

RHODODENDRON SWAMP. 

About two miles northwest of Amoskeag falls, lying to the 
east of and near the valley of Black brook, is a great thicket, 
covering from sixty to eighty acres, and known as Rhododendron 
or Cedar swamp. A portion of this territory is covered with a 
thick growth of cedars, and large areas are overgrown with rho- 
dodendron. So dense is the cover that its depths are penetrated 
with difficulty, but it is visited by scores of people whose time 
and toil are rewarded in securing specimens of this rare and 
fragrant flower. 

POT-HOLES AND ROCK Vi^EAR. 

The vicinity of Amoskeag falls, below the present dam, pre- 
sents fine examples of the well-known but little understood pot- 
holes, found there in great number. These are of all sizes and 
depths, from those of a few inches in diameter or groove to those 
of .several feet in width, and of varying depth. The largest 
example is located high upon the sloping shoulder of a great 
boss of granite, lying south of the highway bridge, between the 
two main streams leading from the dam, and overhanging the 
current. Here may be seen a large excavation running down 
entirely through the east shoulder of the rock, the rapid water 
having worn away the ledge beneath, allowing the stone tool or 
tools which performed the work to drop through into the stream 
below. This curious hole is nearly circular in form, more than 
six feet in diameter, and not less than fourteen feet in depth. 
Since this remarkable excavation was made a large angular frag- 
ment of rock has fallen into it and lodged about half-way down, 
where it is now securely wedged in place. This pot-hole — if, 
indeed, it be such — offers a notable exception to the remaining 
members of the group and is a geological puzzle. The top of 
the rock in which it occurs is high above ordinary flood-mark 
and has not been completely covered by the waters of any fresh- 
et of modern times, with possibly two or three exceptions, and 



36 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 

then for only a few hours at a time. So that this particular ex- 
cavation must be singled out with confidence as having been 
formed by a pre-historic stream, flowing at a level very much 
above the known water-lines of to-day, and in a time so remote 
as to be conjectural, if not at once referred to a glacial epoch 
ante-dating that under discussion. 

There are some remarkably significant facts connected with 
the group of pot-holes we are considering. In the first place the 
larger part of them occur in the bottom or bed-rock ; again, they 
were found just as they now appear when the first dam was 
built upon the stream above them. They remain precisely in 
the form of their first discovery by the early salmon-fishers, not 
less than two centuries and a half ago. Old residents at the falls 
unite in the statement that so far as their observation or knowl- 
edge extends there has been no change in their number and 
character. It is altogether probable that under the required 
conditions pot-holes are somewhere even now being made, but 
there is not the slightest evidence here of the formation of new 
ones within the historic period. 

Beautiful and symmetrical examples of pot-holes are likewise 
found at Hooksett and Goffe's falls on the Merrimack, at Kelly's 
falls on the Piscataquog, and at a point on the latter stream near 
Arcadia, where there was formerly a dam. 

We have examined a pamphlet by Bouv6, entitled "Indian 
Pot-Holes," in which the writer sets up an ingenious theory as 
to the manner of their formation. He conceives that some may 
have been formed by plunging falls, descending from a sufficient 
height, proceeding from ice-fissures, and continued long enough 
to produce the effects. He concedes the difficulty of requiring 
the ice-sheet to remain stationary, but offers nevertheless no 
other explanation. It is certain that continued plunging falls 
will excavate remarkable basins in rock-floors upon which they 
impinge ; these are frequently very symmetrical, and the rock- 
wear has undoubtedly been in part produced by stones carried 



HISTORY OF DERKYFIELD. 37 

round in the cavity, thus reinforcing the labor of the water. But 
true pot-holes are so unlike any other rock excavations that they 
can never be confounded. Their cylindrical form and vertical 
direction, as well as their peculiar situation, preclude any but a 
modified acceptance of the theory of Bouve. 

One pothole or "giants' kettle," described by Bouve as in the 
"form of a cylinder," is sixteen feet deep by five broad. An- 
other has a depth of about forty feet and a diameter of eight to 
twelve. Much more remarkable than either is his account of 
two others, found near Archbald, Pennsylvania, which we quote : 
"The Archbald pot-holes are one thousand feet apart and were 
both discovered in coal-mining, their bottoms being in the coal 
bed. When the drift filling them was cleared out, one was found 
to be thirty-eight feet deep, with a diameter of about fifteen feet 
at the bottom, increasing to a maximum of forty-two feet and a 
minimum of twenty-four feet across its top ; and the second, the 
diameter of which is not definitely noted, was about fifty feet 
deep in rock, with a covering of about fifteen feet of drift." 

In his remarkable work previously quoted, Prof. Wright gives 
this: " On the water-parting between the Merrimack and the 
Connecticut, there is to be found the dry bed of a river which 
for a time flowed through a pass from the Connecticut valley 
into the Merrimack, which is now five hundred feet above the 
valleys. Here, upon this mountain axis in central New Hamp- 
shire, nine hundred feet above the sea, are numerous and large 
water-worn circular cavities in the rock, technically known as 
pot-holes, such as are formed in shallow rapids, wherever gravel 
and pebbles become lodged, first, in some natural slight depress- 
ion, and then, through the whirling motion given them by the 
running water, these continue to wear a symmetrical depression 
so long as the supply of water continues, or until a channel has 
been cut through. Pot-holes may be seen in the rapids of almost 
any rocky stream, with the gravel and pebbles, which do the im- 
mediate work when set in motion, still partially filling them. 



38 . CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 

Such pot-holes exist in the anomalous position mentioned in 
New Hampshire, where no present stream could by any possi- 
bility be made to flow. One of them, measured many years ago 
by Jackson, was eleven feet deep, four and a half feet in diame- 
ter at the top, and two feet at the bottom, and when discovered 
was filled with earth and rounded stones." 

The instance referred to above is in Grafton county, between 
Grafton Centre and East Canaan. 

The whole account is no less wonderful than admirable, con- 
forming wholly with what we have independently observed, with 
the single exception of the reference to "shallow rapids." We 
have become convinced that pot-holes are rarely if ever formed 
except at the bottom of deep eddies and whirlpools, where there 
is set up a continuous and nearly equable circular movement of 
the water. Their formation in rapid and at once shallow cur- 
rents could not occur, for the reason that the force of the stream 
would continually wash down and away the stone tools which 
might elsewise undertake the work. Besides, were Professor 
Wright's assumption true, we should see the making of the char- 
acteristic pot-hole going on under our very eyes. But this is 
precisely what we do not see, and we are unable to assign such 
examples as have come to our knowledge to any but a remote 
era and to operations taking place at a very considerable if not 
great depth of water. It is true that they may be still found in 
shallow rapids, and even partially filled with pepples, but the 
perhaps unintentional inference that they were now in process 
of making does not appear to be warranted by observed facts. 

We venture to set down four important factors in the forma- 
tion of the true pot-hole, to wit : i. Sufficient depth of water. 

2. A whirling and nearly equable movment of the current. 

3. Sufficient length of time. 4. Varying hardness of the rock 
attacked, and hardness of the excavating tool. Under these 
varying conditions the differing features of pot-holes, wherever 
found and whether single or in groups, may be accounted for. 



HISTORY OF DERRYFIELD. 39 

With reference to more common examples of rock-wear, these 
may be found at the various falls in this section to which allu- 
sion has been made, and no finer instances of the action of run- 
ning water are afforded this side of the upper Ammonusuc. At 
Amoskeag this is exhibited upon a grand scale, and in a spring 
freshet the rapids below the falls are not matched in grandeur 
elsewhere in New Hampshire. Here the evidence is overwhelm- 
ing as to the former existence of a rocky barrier, holding back 
the water in a great lake basin, extending as far north as Hook- 
sett. Beyond that point there is equally conclusive evidence of 
the existence of two or more great lakes stretching northward, 
with rock-dams at Garvin's and Sewall's falls, and another and 
final barrier at Franklin, where the Pemigewasset and Winne- 
pesauke unite. Further reference to examples of rock-wear per- 
formed by pre-historic streams, and the part played by glacial 
dams in the stupendous terrestrial drama, may be found in the 
succeeding chapter. 



CHAPTER V. 

THE devil's pulpit — GLACIAL DAMS, ETC. 

After what has been brought before us in preceding pages 
our readers will not be surprised at the introduction of another 
witness to the series of events occurring in past ages, of which 
no written evidence is obtainable and concerning which tradi- 
tion is and must be forever silent. With the admission of the 
claim for the presence of quaternary or even tertiary man, we 
acquire no new source of information, and may look for no addi- 
tion aid from any assumed living contemporaries. The science 
of anthropology has kept pace with other kindred lines of inves- 
tigation, and a consensus of conclusions in this department of 
inquiry leads us to hope for no enlightenment from a race of 
savage men, scarcely less brutal in their instincts than the wild 
beasts with which they contended. As herecofore, our reliance 
must be wholly upon evidence put upon record by the operations 
of natural forces — records which have fortunately been so endur- 
ing as to survive the ravages of time in the vast lapse which 
has succeeded. 

We turn, then, with undisguised satisfaction, to the testimony 
given by a most remarkable and almost unique example of rock- 
wear performed by a pre-historic stream, located in our own im- 
mediate neighborhood, in the adjoining town of Bedford, and 
commonly known as the "Devil's Pulpit." With the exception 
of a brief and inaccurate allusion in Savage's " History of Bed- 
ford," we are not aware that any account has ever been published 
or any accurate description attempted. How little importance 
was attached to this phenomena, and how absolutely void of sig- 
nificance it was regarded no longer ago than 185 1, is shown by 
Savage's reference, which we append. 

The historian says : "There are some objects of curiosity 
worthy of note. On the west line of Bedford, near Chestnut 



HISTORY OF DERRYFIELD. 4t 

hills, is a vast fissure or opening in a mighty mass of rock, ap- 
parently made by some convulsion of nature ; over the precipice 
thus formed is a fall of water some 200 feet into the gulf below. 
Here are found several excavations in the solid rock, sufficiently 
large to contain several persons, and one of them, bearmg some 
resemblance to a pulpit, has given name to the place; at the 
bottom there is always a small pool of water, where, in the hot- 
test day, the warmth of the sun scarcely penetrates. As one 
stands on the verge of this tremendous precipice, emotions of 
sublimity will be awakened ; and any lover of nature, who should 
find leisure on a pleasant day, would find himself well paid by 
a visit to this wild and romantic spot." 

About nine miles from Manchester, as the bird flies, or near- 
ly twelve by the highway, the "convulsion of nature" referred 
to is found upon the farm of Mr. Clinton French. Our first 
visit to this locality was more than twenty years ago, when it 
may be said to have been in a state of nature. Since that time 
an increasing number of visitors suggested to the owner the 
idea of making it more accessible to the general public, and with 
this in view he caused to be constructed a good carriage road 
leading from the highway to the Pulpit. Convenient paths were 
made, plank walks laid where necessary, and a substantial stair- 
way built, so that the leading points of interest can be easily 
reached. A turnpike gate guards the entrance and a small toll- 
fee is exacted, sufficient to reimburse the owner for his care and 
outlay. 

The road descends to the level of a wet run, which it crosses, 
and the Pulpit is located in an old pasture a short half-mile from 
the highway. The swampy run is the source of a small brook, 
entering upon the extreme left, and a still smaller stream, which 
is frequently dry during the summer months, enters upon the 
extreme right of the Pulpit. The direction of this curiosity is 
west by south from the city hall, lying to the south and some 
distance west of the Uncanoonucks and east and south-east of 
4 



42 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 

Joe English. Between these mountains and their contiguous 
highlands is a deep, well-defined valley or basin, generally trend- 
ing north and south, and for much of its course more than two 
miles broad. Standing upon the height of land near the French 
homestead this great valley extends in either direction as far as 
the eye can reach, the stretch to the southward forming such a 
remarkable depression as to at once suggest the idea of an old 
lake basin, and the contouf of the country is such as to entirely 
favor that assumption. From the near highlands is an uninter- 
rupted view of the valley for certainly not less than twelve miles, 
and the scene from the point of view looking towards the sharp 
southern escarpment of Joe English is one of surpassing loveli- 
ness, aside from a consideration of its more striking and sug- 
gestive features. Another fine view of the extension of this val- 
ley northward may be had at Dunbarton village, looking west. 

In following the half-mile carriage way to the bottom of a lat- 
eral valley, at nearly a right-angle with the larger basin, one 
comes suddenly and without any manner of warning upon the 
brink of an abrupt and forbidding chasm in the ledge. This is 
the opening to the famous Devil's Pulpit. It is neither more 
nor less than a water-worn gorge in solid granite, extending in 
a west by south course for about a half mile in nearly a straight 
line. In width the gorge varies but little and will average from 
one hundred and fifty to two hundred feet. At the head of the 
chasm is a fifty foot wall of rock, the cliffs upon either side main- 
taining this altitude for from forty to sixty rods, gradually low- 
ering until the level of the valley plain is reached. The whole 
of this imposing rock fissure has been eroded by the action of 
water, as the evidence conclusively shows the former existence 
here of a long-continued and powerful stream. The main fall 
plunged over the precipice, causing a whirlpool below sufificient- 
ly violent to excavate the bed-rock in a great circular cavity, worn 
apace with the depth eroded, so that instead of there being found 
the usual bowl-shaped pool or basin the floor was level with the 
bottom of the cliff. The height of successive stages of water is 



HISTORY OF DEKRVFIELD. 43 

distinctly marked by great semi-circular grooves worn into the 
face of the wall ; of these not less than five are shown, each from 
fifteen to twenty inches vertical diameter, and from three to five 
feet apart. The section directly above the base, to a height of 
more than twelve feet, is eaten in back of the vertical line for a 
considerable distance, and high upon the front of the cliffs the 
granite plainly shows the wear of the great churning movement 
of the whirlpool. 

At the immediate left of the main plunge the action of the 
water is even more remarkable. Here has been sculptured out 
a huge stone chamber many feet in diameter; hanging midway 
is an enormous hulk of rock detached from the cliff; the cavity 
beneath this has been likewise eaten away, and an extending 
flange of rock between the lower chamber and the main fall is 
smoothly worn and polished, standing up edgewise like a stone 
knife-blade. The hanging rock above described is the " Devil's 
Pulpit," and its gloomy and mysterious origin must have seemed 
a sufficient excuse for the name bestowed by some superstitious 
godfather. The vertical height of the wall at the centre of the 
cataract is a little less than fifty feet, but the out-crop of the 
ledges above on either side is some feet higher; the width im- 
mediately over the fall is thirty-six and at the base from thirty- 
one to thirty-seven feet, with a forward elongation of fifty-three. 
The whole mass of rock eroded and removed at this point will 
be seen to have been enormous. With the exception of the 
supply from melting snows or occasional heavy rainfalls no water 
now flows over the cliff and for the greater part of the year there 
is but an insignificant drizzle. 

At the left of the Pulpit there is a high, protruding mass of 
rock, forming the south wall of the upper gorge, and at the foot 
of the projection lie heavy masses of rock, thrown down from 
the cliff above, the water having worn away the supporting ledge 
beneath. These fallen rocks now have trees of considerable size 
growing upon them. At various other points along the cafton 
there are other great heaps of fallen rock ; some of these lie, 



44 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 

curiously enough, midway of the glen, showing conclusively, if 
other evidence were needed, that the whole area between the 
enclosing walls was carved out of a solid rock-bed by the action 
of water. The upper gorge is sixty feet wide by ninety-four in 
length. 

The foregoing, however, is but the beginning of a series of 
wonders. Seventy-eight feet from the upper fall is " No-Bottom 
Pool." Unlike some other so-called bottomless pits, this is well 
named. We made an attempt to probe it in the autumn of i8g6, 
reaching a depth of seventeen feet without difficulty with an iron 
probing-rod of that length, but the bottom seemed as far off as 
ever. Mr. French informed us that, in company with others, 
he some years ago penetrated the pool, with birch poles spliced 
together, to a depth of forty feet, without finding bottom. This 
pool is fifteen feet in diameter, is nearly choked up with debris, 
among which are several logs firmly wedged horizontally, and is 
filled to the brim with water. If this excavation is a pothole it 
is certainly the most remarkable example in New England and 
fairly parallels the largest known anywhere. It is, however, 
possible that the bed-rock at this point has been worn through, 
affording an entrance into what geologists describe as a fault. 
The question can only be determined by a thorough examina- 
tion by a properly equipped scientific expedition. So far as ob- 
served it appears to have all the characteristics of true pot-holes. 
It is circular, vertical, and at the top fifteen feet in diameter. 

The same authority informed us of his discovery of another 
excavation near the foot of the stairway, in which no bottom was 
reached at a depth of twenty feet. Its existence would not now 
be suspected, as it is entirely filled up and covered with earth 
and stones ; and it is altogether likely there are others which 
have similarly escaped observation. These instances are suffi- 
ciently wonderful to invite scientific exploration. 

A few rods below, occupying a lower level, is a second gorge, 
with a twenty-six foot wall, and a basin below thirty feet in diam- 



HISTORY OF DERRYFIELD. 45 

eter. The supporting side-walls are from fifteen to thirty-two 
feet vertical height. Still lower along the canon, and at varying 
intervals, are other pools and basins, some of them many feet in 
depth, and in diameter much larger than those described. At 
all of these points, and high upon the front of the lateral walls 
upon either side, is exhibited the same evidence of water-erosion, 
as distinctly mapped upon the granite leaves as if drawn upon 
sheets of modern card-board. 

At the extreme left of the upper fall, separated from it by 
high, protruding masses of rock, and flowing at a little lower 
level, is the run-brook before referred to, which courses through 
the entire length of the gorge, entering the sunken valley below. 
Tills brook has at first a winding and steep descent, and goes 
trickling along the bed of the canon, broken in its course by a 
series of beautiful cascades and miniature waterfalls, with many 
fine pools and basins, some of them quite large and symmetri- 
cal, with carved rock channels intervening. The brook itself, 
however, as we know it to-day, is utterly incompetent to produce 
even these minor but attractive features, the volume of water 
being insufficient to account for them. The stream ran down 
for a considerable distance independently, until it coalesqued 
with the main current from the upper right hand fall. 

But this brook affords another and striking feature to which 
we are impelled to direct attention. Just above the point of its 
entrance, upon a level ledge, ten or twelve feet higher than any 
conceivable stage of water within modern times, is a well-defined 
and undoubted pot-hole, whose age must certainly be referred 
to the same period as that of the gorge itself. As will appear 
hereafter, it is important to remember that after a course of sev- 
eral miles the water of this brook finds a way to the Souhegan, 
through the extension of the valley southward. 

There is, almost of course, the inevitable Devil's Oven, the 
interior blackened with smoke, the most reasonable and obvious 
inference being that His Bedford Majesty united in his person 
the functions of preacher, sculptor and cook. 



46 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 

The foregoing description of the Devil's Pulpit, although ex- 
tended, is inadequate when viewed from the stand-point of its 
importance as a factor in the measurement of geological time or 
the value of its testimony to the stupendous work performed by 
water in a distant age ; and the preparation of this paper was un- 
dertaken partly with the hope that the attention of geological 
experts might be enlisted in explaining its further relations to 
the general subject of ^'lacial phenomena. 

We now find established, by evidence as ample as it is con- 
vincing, four prime facts : i. A remarkable example of water 
erosion upon a grand scale. 2. The dry bed of a once powerful 
and long-continued stream. 3. That the stream was fed mainly 
by water from melting ice-fields. 4. That there is no evidence 
of the existence of any stream capable of performing the work 
within the historic period. 

It must further be concluded that a stream of great volume 
flowed at the same time through the great north and south val- 
ley to which allusion has been made, and that extensive sections 
of this valley were occupied by one or more great lakes. It on- 
ly remains to corroborate the conclusions reached by citations 
from admitted authorities. The following extract from Wright's 
" Ice Age in North America " will well support the views ad- 
vanced, and at the same time afford an impressive example of 
the part played by glacial dams. Prof. Wright's account is 
based upon detailed surveys by Mr. Upham, the results of which 
are published in the New Hampshire Geological Reports: 

" The Contoocook river now empties into the Merrimack a lit- 
tle above Concord and flows in a direction north-northeast. The 
present outlet was, towards the close of the glacial period, ob- 
structed by ice some time after it had melted off from the south- 
eastern portion of the valley. During that period a lake was 
held in the portion of the valley-freed from ice, at a height suffi- 
cient to turn the drainage temporarily to the south and south- 
east. At first the drainage was over the water-shed in Rindge, 



HISTORY OF DERRYFIELD. 4/ 

through Ashburnham and Winchendon, Mass., and thence into 
the Connecticut. The reality of this line of drainage is evi- 
denced by the extensive knmes and gravel deposits extending 
from the Contoocook valley through the towns of Rindge and 
and Winchendon." 

This evidence is as interesting as the facts are remarkable, but 
that which follows is to us of more absorbing interest, since it 
reinforces our assumption of a great water-way, fed from the 
the same sources, and stretching southward immediately west 
of the Dunbarton ridge and the Uncanoonucks. Our authority 
continues : 

'• When the ice had withdrawn a little further north, an outlet 
was open to the southeast into the Souhegan river, and thence 
into the Merrimack. The evidence here is also conclusive that, 
for a period, a stream of water eighty feet deep poured through 
this piss, and the lake formed in front of the ice was in its great- 
est extent thirty miles long, and from two hundred to two hun- 
dred and fifty feet in depth. The evidence of this remains in 
delta terraces at that level formed at various points where 
streams came into the lake." 

Here, then, we have high testimony to the existence of other 
ice-fed streams and lakes nearly at our own door, distinctly cor- 
roborative of the claims heretofore advanced. We are unable 
to determine whether any portion of the current of this great 
water-course contributed to swtll the tremendous torrent which 
rushed down through the gorge of the Devil's Pulpit. It is cer- 
tain, however, that the outlet of this lateral valley opened into 
the great Contoocook lake, finally finding its way into the Mer- 
rimack ; and it is altogether probable that the enormous water- 
supply required was derived wholly from the glacial sheet which 
still hung upon the summit and flanks of the Uncanoonucks. 

We are able to add an additional link to the chain of evidence 
already presented, in the existence of extensive clay-beds at the 
site of the lake referred to. Before the day of railroads these 
deposits were extensively worked, as many as twenty million of 



48 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 

brick being made in a single year. These were hauled to Reed's 
ferry and transported down the Merrimack to Lowell. In the 
famous Manchester and Milford Railroad hearing a witness tes- 
tified that he had clay enough upon his farm to build another 
city as large as Manchester. Much other testimony to the same 
effect sufficiently demonstrates an immense deposition of clay in 
the basin of this ancient lake. 

For the present we reluctantly draw the curtain upon the 
series of scenes presented, some description of which has been 
attempted in these opening chapters. For the most part there 
has been little exhibiting nature in her gentler moods, having 
thus far witnessed her more terrible yet fascinating aspects. It 
is still reserved to modern science to continue the investigation, 
to add to the already vast store of accumulated facts, and by 
its method of patient investigation and research interpret for us 
other problems which await solution. We confidently abide the 
future ; the spirit of inquiry, the interrogating attitude of the 
age, made not less but more reverent by its courage, assure to 
us further and perhaps more astounding revelations. 

Time and circumstances permitting, some following chapters 
will be devoted to the " Flora and Fauna " of Derryfield and its 
contiguous territory. 



^OQtributio^s 



TD THE 



[iistoryof Old Derryfield, 



BY WILLIAM ELLERY MOORE. 



PART THIRD. 
PRICE TWENTY-FIVE CENTS. 



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HISTORY OF DERRYFIELD, 

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THE LOCAL FLORA AND FAUNA. 



BRIEF BOTANICAL SKETCH — EVIDENCES OF ARCTIC LIFE — PARTIAL 

LIST OF TREES, SHRUBS AND FLOWERS — WILD ANIMALS, 

BIRDS, FISHES, INSECTS, ETC. 



BY WILLIAM E. MOORE. 



A PAPER READ BEFORE THE 



MANCHESTER HISTORIC ASSOCIATION. 



PART III. 



PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOR. 



PRICE TWENTY-FIVE CENTS. 



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CONTRIBUTIONS 

TO THE 

HISTORY OF DERRYFIELD 

BY WILLIAM E. MOORE. 



CHAPTER VI. 

BRIEF BOTANICAL SKETCH — EVIDENCES OF ARCTIC LIFE — PARTIAL LIST 
OF TREES, SHRUBS AND FLOWERS. 

All plants are animals, minus the power of locomotion. This 
lack is in large measure supplied by their wonderful power of 
adaptation, and in the myriad methods of dispersion by which 
they really move. Having neither wings nor feet, they do not 
walk but contrive to be transported. They lie in wait for the 
wind upon which they ride ; lakes and rivers bear them from 
shore to shore, from mountain to plain, and ocean currents waft 
them to friendly or inhospitable coasts. They hide in the depths 
of earth and lurk in the crannies of rocks ; they cling to claws 
and talons of bird or beast, and with deceitful simulation procure 
themselves to be swallowed, that peradventure they shall be cast 
out upon propitious soil, to await their resurrection morn. We 
behold everywhere this curious paradox of the plant-world, inca- 
pable of motion and yet migratory ; and we may well look with 
amazement upon the exercise of this marvellous instinct which 
enables plants, under all the countless mutations of climate and 
soil, to reproduce and perpetuate their kind. 

The word extinct, written after the names of vegetable forms 
which no longer exist, need not here concern us. That this 



52 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 

was once the home of a pre-historic flora is not open to question, 
but our limits forbid more than this mere allusion, leaving the 
imagination to supply the details of that first world-garden whose 
leaves fell and whose flowers faded unseen. 

We do not design to add to our description an account of the 
large number of trees, shrubs, flowers or weeds, not indigenous, 
but introduced by accident or design, and the writer's limitations 
preclude any attempt at a scientific botanical essay. From an 
unpublished " History of Andover," New Hampshire, we ven- 
ture to make the following extract: "The dwarf willow and 
white birch were probably our earliest trees, succeeding lichens 
and mosses, after the climate of the ice-age of this region became 
sufificiently ameliorated to allow a growth of shrubs. The dwarf 
willow now grows at the extreme north part of Spitzbergen, 
within eight degrees of the Arctic pole, and the white birch 
appears near the north cape of Norway." 

To the foregoing we are tempted to add the Norwegian pine, 
the mountain cranberry, and the hardy highland blueberry. It 
is probable that the hemlock, the pines, firs, spruces and hack- 
matacks, with their congeners, came next, followed later by the 
remaining deciduous trees which are with us to-day. The little 
willow, now found growing in cold land, is the descendant of its 
dwarf ancestor referred to. For thousands of years the struggle 
for life went on, the law of the survival of the fittest prevailing 
in this as in other organic kingdoms, until the rich covering of 
our hill slopes and mountain crests, and the deeper soil of plain, 
valley and meadow gleamed with verdure. Beneath the forest 
and field growth of to-day the fallen generations lie, in their de- 
cay enriching a soil which had scantily served their wants. 

We share with others a deep regret at the destruction, almost 
extermination, of our forest trees ; throughout nearly the entire 
area of central and southern New Hampshire there are roundly 
no old growth trees remaining, while the great timber tracts of 
Coos are attacked year after year, its wooded acres despoiled by 
the axe of the lumberman. Appeals and protests have been 



HISTORY OF DERRYFIELD. 53 

made in vain ; lovers of nature have bewailed the rapid razing 
of our mountain groves, on the aesthetic ground of disfigurement 
and consequent loss of attraction to the summer tourist. But 
these sentimental appeals have no effect upon the lumber kings 
who have possessed themselves of our fair heritage. We must 
first create an educated public sentiment, resting upon grounds 
of public interest, and powerful enough to invoke the strong arm 
of the state. To accomplish this it must be shown that the de- 
nudation of the mountain slopes is a distinct menace to the prop- 
erty and lives of our citizens. A paid employe has written and 
caused to be printed in one of our city dailies an article in apol- 
ogy and defence of the lumber interest. This was evidently 
inspired by the unexampled freshet of the spring of 1896, which 
involved wide-spread disaster, a burdensome interruption to pup- 
lie travel, and a financial loss in the state of more than a million 
dollars. The writer says the unprecedented and rapid rise of 
the mountain tributaries was owing to a warm sun acting upon 
reserves of snow ; that the exposed slopes were coated with ice, 
and that the melting snow, reinforced by rain, sped unchecked 
into the valleys. This was all true; but he did not tell us how 
the slopes became bare and ice-covered, nor did he suggest that 
if the protecting timber-fringe had been allowed by the lumber 
magnates to stand upon the steep flanks of the White Hills, that 
the disastrous freshet of March would have been averted. We 
utter this warning, at the risk of its being considered out of 
place, anxious only to contribute to public enlightenment upon 
a theme which must soon compel attention. The eyes of our 
great manufacturing interests already look askance toward the 
north, and their ears are primed to hear the roar of advancing 
floods. It has already become a question of self-protection, and 
efficient action is to-day imperatively needed. 

Without further digression, we proceed at once to present a 
list of the more common trees and shrubs now to be found in 
or near this locality, a list necessarily incomplete, adding occas- 
ional observations concerning them : 



54 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 

White Pine, Pimis strobiis. This magnificent tree, which in 
colonial clays alone had the honor of being marked with the 
broad arrow of King George, formerly grew in great abundance 
in this neighborhood, especially along the river and brook val- 
leys. Forty years ago great pines flourished in what are now 
compact portions of the city, along the ravines, and upon Ray, 
Mile, Christian, Cemetery, and Cohas brooks, while the various 
highways were lined with primitive forests. A group of huge 
pines occupied a ravine on the south of Granite street, now the 
site of wholesale warehouses, and more than fifty years ago the 
children of the "cold-water army," in what was known as the 
Washingtonian movement, held a picnic in this grove. A little 
later the children of the Unitarian sunday-school, not standing 
in fear of ghosts, enjoyed a picnic in the then beautiful grove 
of the Valley cemetery ; in both these celebrations the writer 
was an interested and hungry participant. 

Pitch Pine, Finns rigida. Fifty years ago the sand-plains of 
Derryfield were covered with a dense growth of these trees, ex- 
tending over large areas to the north, south and east, as well as 
upon the plains west of the river. Nearly the whole section not 
actually built upon or under tillage, was invaded by pines. The 
growth reached to Lowell street, immediately back of the first 
high school building, over nearly all the territory east of Pine, 
and rabbits were hunted and trapped in what is now Tremont 
common. Parker was murdered in the pines just east of Beech 
street, and a man tired of living in the woods hung himself on 
Monument square. 

Norway or Red Pine, Pimis resinosa. This beautiful variety 
was once not uncommon, but is now rarely seen hereabout. It is 
remarkably free from knots and grows "as straight as a loon's 
hind-leg." 

White Spruce, Abies alba. Formerly existing upon Bald hill 
and the Uncanoonucks, but now exterminated. 

Black Spruce, Abies nigra. Never plentiful here, and now 
scarce, growing only as a shrub. 



HISTORY OF DERRYFIELD. 55 

Balsam Fir, Abies bahamea. A graceful and symmetrical tree, 
formerly adorning our hill and mountain crests, but now very 
rare, being brought here from a distance to supply the demand 
for Christmas trees. 

Hemlock, Abies Canadensis. This extremely beautiful tree 
is still common in moist woods, in plateau ravines, and upon the 
higher ridges. But the once great hemlock groves bearing fine 
specimens of the old-growth giants, have long since disappeared. 
It may not be generally known that the trunk of a full-grown 
hemlock yields a bitter, resinous gum, which has never become 
popular for chewing purposes. One of our earliest recollections 
is the gathering of materials for hemlock-brooms for one of our 
grandmothers. 

Juniper or Ground Hemlock, Jiiniperus communis. This low, 
creeping shrub prevails in open woods and dry pastures ; the 
more arid the soil the better it seems to flourish, and a field or 
pasture attacked by it is doomed, as nothing else can grow up- 
on the ground it covers. This pasture-pest seldom reaches a 
height of more than two feet, while single shrubs are frequent- 
ly more than twelve feet in diameter. Axe and fire supply the 
only remedy, and must be used without stint. It is the vegeta- 
ble octopus of creation. 

Rock or Sugar Maple, Acer saccharinnm. With the exception 
of scattered groves and single specimens, this valuable tree has 
disappeared, although never sufficiently plentiful here to encour- 
age the manufacture of maple sugar ; but a few thousands are 
fortunately growing as shade-trees. 

White or Soft Maple, Acer dasycarpiim. This variety grows 
abundantly in moist lands, and is still common perhaps because 
it has little value. 

Red Maple, Acer riibrum. This extremely beautiful tree fav- 
ors vv^et lands, but flourishes at considerable elevations. Its 
scarlet blossoms ofter to the eye one of the earliest and most 
grateful promises of spring. 

Striped Maple, Acer Pennsylvatictim. This member of the 



$6 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 

maple family is commonly known as Moosewood, and is encoun- 
tered in low woods. 

Mountain Maple, Acer spicatiim. This was formerly common 
but is now infrequently seen. 

Swamp Maple. This variety we thus christen independently, 
as the authorities do not aid us. It is undeniably a maple, but 
bears a large single-winged seed vessel, while all the text books 
assign a double-winged pod to the maple and make mention of 
no other. We have observed another variety which produces 
a double seed-pod, the winged halves of which are almost invari- 
able shed single. This curious habit is not referred to by the 
authorities. We dismiss the maples by observing that among 
living specimens of these trees those of first or ancestral growth 
in Derryfield can be counted upon the fingers of one hand. 

White Oak, Qiiercus alba. These were very common in this 
locality, but have now largely gone the way of the rock maples, 
alike hewn and consumed, their diminished successors occupy- 
ing the scrub lands. An ancient oak, a relic of the native woods, 
still stands in the southwestern quarter of Concord square, and a 
few others similarly survive. A very fine specimen stands on 
the south side of Milford beyond Carroll street, and here and 
there are others at wide intervals. 

Red Oak, Qiierciis rubra. This was the rail-splitting, stave- 
making tree of our ancestors, in the days of hand-made barrels 
and casks. Though formerly plentiful and attaining a great size, 
from sixty to eighty feet, good specimens have become as rare 
as cooper-shops. 

Scrub Oak, Qtierciis illicifolia. This little tree, scarcely more 
than a shrub, supplants a once nobler growth and like many an- 
other worthless thing flourishes. 

Beech, Fagas ferrugiuea. This strikingly handsome forest 
tree is fast disappearing, noble specimens being extremely rare. 
None miss it more sadly than the squirrels, the harvest of nuts 
supplying them with food. Gone are the ancient groves through 
which the wild turkey stalked ; gone are the initials of colonial 



HISTORY OF DERRYFIELD. 57 

lovers, rudely carved upon the smooth and mottled trunks. Civ- 
ilization has brought us much, but of how much have we been 
robbed ? 

Elm, Ulmus Americana. The elm is still flourishing, growing 
wild about us in all directions, and native and transplanted spec- 
imens of great size are numerous. We cannot be too grateful 
for the wise forethought which resulted in the fine avenues of 
shade elms which now adorn our older thoroughfares. 

White Birch, Betula populaefolia. The ancient growth is but 
a memory, having gone with the canoe of the Indian, but the 
birches are so persistent and prolific that their diminished rep- 
resentatives are still seen on every hand. We add to the above 
the Grey, Silver, Red, and Yellow or Golden Birch. Whole 
generations have gone to peg and toothpick-mills, and countless 
cords to the wood-yards. One would now stand in amazement 
before a birch large enough to furnish bark in one piece to make 
a canoe fifteen feet long. There is said to be a golden birch in 
Andover with a circle of shade large enough to seat five hun- 
dred people. 

Black Birch, Betula lenta. This is not uncommon and may 
be recognized by the aromatic flavor of the twigs. The larger 
trees were formerly made into table-tops, which may still be 
found in old farmhouse kitchens, and also supplied hand-made 
yokes and other wares of husbandry. 

Brown or Basket Ash, Fraxunis sambucifolia. Once common 
but now met only as scattered trees. The White, Prickly, and 
Mountain Ash are now scarce. The ash is undesirable as a 
shade tree, the leaves coming late and going early. 

Chestnut, Castanea vesca. This tree grew and still grows in 
all directions, and flourished in such profusion as to cause the 
whole section hereabout, including all the adjoining towns, to be 
known as the " Nutfield country," long before permanent settle- 
ments were made. Many extensive groves have been swept 
away and the forests culled for material for fence-posts and rail- 
road ties, the work of extermination still proceeding. The near 



58 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 

extinction of our nut-bearing trees will soon deprive us of the 
red and grey squirrel. 

Hickory, Carya alba. In addition to the Shagbark there were 
several other nut-bearing varieties once numerous. The great 
value of the wood for fuel, as well as the demand for its use in 
wood-working arts, have contributed to its practical extinction 
in this locality. Doubtless, God could make a better nut than 
the hickory, but doubtless God never did. 

Butternut, Jiiglans cinerea. This is still common in open pas- 
tures and along roadside ways. The outer bark of the nut was 
extensively used by our grandmothers in dying wool. The wri- 
ter well remembers wearing the brown home-spun. 

Poplar or American Aspen, Populous tremtdoidiis. Formerly 
quite common, now comparatively infrequent. The bass wood 
is still here and still valueless. 

The Black Cherry is frequently seen in open fields and pas- 
tures. This is the " rum-cherry" of our spirit-loving forefathers, 
bad 'imitations of which are sold to-day in various rum-holes. 
There is also a wild red cherry and the choke-cherry. A great 
many boys have not died by drinking milk after eating freely of 
the latter fruit. 

There are still a number of varieties of the genus Willow, in- 
cluding the Osier or Basket Willow. The common willow is 
undoubtedly doomed to immortality, as it is impossible to destroy 
a tree that will grow without roots and flourish after death. 

A Wild Plum, Primus Americana, formerly grew in plenty 
but is now rare. 

Other varieties of trees, both native and introduced, will sug- 
gest themselves to the reader, such as the alders, elders, leather- 
wood, mountain sumach, horn beam, leverwood, etc. 

The group of shrubs is large, but we must content ourselves 
with a mere mention of the more common examples : We still 
have the white-rod or withe-wood, the fence-mender of the old- 
time farmer ; the witch-hazel, curious and interesting in its habit 



HISTORY OF DERRYFIELD. 59 

of late flowering, the towsled yellow blossoms surrounding the 
ripe seed-pods, which like miniature howitzers discharge their 
contents to an incredible distance ; the button-bush, swamp and 
highland huckleberry, blueberry, high and low blackberry, red 
and black raspberry, thimble-berry, hardhack, iron-weed, high- 
land and swamp laurel, sheep laurel or lamb-kill, cornel, poison 
sumach or dogwood, bayberry, sweet fern, swamp and sweet 
brier rose, skunk currant ; creeping, bush and climbing poison 
ivy, thorn-bush, etc.. The number of shrubs omitted probably 
largely exceeds the number above enumerated. 

The grasses, native and introduced, now number more than 
thirty varieties. 

We append a partial list of additional flowering and non-flow- 
ering plants : Wild grape, clematis, woodbine, cranberry, May- 
flower, club and tree-club moss, columbine, true and false Solo- 
mon's seal, checkerberry, partridge berry, sarsaparilla, cardinal 
flower, arrowhead, pipsissewa, the blue closed, five-fingered and 
fringed gentian, Jack-in-the-pulpit, Indian tobacco, bunch berry, 
skunk cabbage, fire-weed, pyrola, gold-thread, garget, pitcher- 
plant, mullein or the American velvet plant, purple and yellow 
lady's slipper, several sorts of milk-weed, St. John's wort, white 
and pink yarrow, pearl everlasting, cinquefoil, yellow, and sour 
or narrow leaved dock, nettle, sweet flag, cat-tail, white water- 
lily, cow-lily, pickerel weed, flower de luce, blue flag, blue-eyed 
and star-grass ; yellow, and red or tiger lilies, many varieties of 
violets, the rushes, the thistles, purslane, robin-run-round, pig- 
weed, called in the south lamb's quarter and used for greens; 
burdock, screw-stem, self-heal, wild morning glory, smartweed, 
purple orchis, spring and fall dandelion, wild sunflower, daisy or 
white weed, black-eyed-Susan or ox-eye daisy, horsetail, many 
species of goldenrod, several members of the aster group, spear- 
mint, peppermint and other square-stems, pennyroyal, mother- 
wort, thoroughwort, elecampane, wild buckwheat, artichoke, 
garden wormwood, formerly supposed to be necessary to digest 



60 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 

new rum and prevent nausea ; ragweed, accused of causing hay- 
fever ; primroses, plaintain, snake's head, buttercup, cowslip, 
wild pink, chickweed, Indian mallow, field and wood sorrel, twin 
Linnsea, jewel weed, may weed, touch-me-not, deadly nightshade, 
wild carrot, wild parsnip, wild strawberry, yellow gerardia, etc. 
Besides these and many others we have lovage, liverwort, sweet 
Sicily, baneberry, joint-weed, bind-knot weed, vervain, skull-cap, 
hoarhound, crowfoot, horse-radish, mustard, blue harebell, wild 
honeysuckle, colt's-foot, tansy, bell wort, queen of the meadow, 
and others unnamed but not unknown. Of parasitic plants we 
have the curious form known as the "Dodder." We have also 
growing here the dog-tooth violet, which is really a lily, as well as 
several native orchids, among them the so-called Lady's Tresses, 
the pink Arethusa, and the most exquisitely beautiful flower of 
our wild collection, the Pogoiiia ophioglossoides. 

For a full list of ferns and cryptogamic plants we refer the 
reader to the text-books, since any attempt to array them here 
would be a servile reproduction. Should our brief and inade- 
quate account serve to arouse in others a love of forest and field 
lore we shall be contented ; and we venture to indulge the hope 
that some one better fitted will soon prepare an elaborate and 
more exhaustive monogragh of our local flora. 



CHAPTER VII. 



THE WILD ANIMALS OF DERRYFIELD. 



It requires no severe exercise of the imagination to associate 
the presence of arctic animals with an arctic climate. During 
the rigor of the glacial epoch there is little room for doubt that 
the arctic fox, reindeer and polar bear roamed over the plains and 
that the seal and walrus were found upon the coast. It is equal- 
ly certain that other forms, partly owing to the absence of food, 
became extinct, their embedded bones alone remaining. Among 
these extinct types were the mastodon and woolly elephant. At 
the same time a great exodus of animals took place to the south, 
fleeing before the threatening advance of the great ice-sheet, 
again returning as the ice retreated. 

The Panther or Puma, Felis concolor. This ferocious and dan- 
gerous animal once lurked in our forests, and was occasionally 
killed by the early hunters and trappers. Almost alone of all 
others, this beast had no fear of man, who at any time was liable 
to be attacked. A panther was killed in Pittsfield some years 
before the settlement of the town, in 1770. A party of hunters 
came up from Durham, through what was then an unbroken 
wilderness, after a pack of wolves which had been killing their 
sheep. There had been a snow-fall, hardened with a firm crust, 
over which new snow had fallen, so that travelling: was good 
and the wolves easily tracked. These hardy men followed the 
trail over the summit of Catamount. Here night came on, and 
being tired with the long tramp the party, three in number, 
went to sleep upon a ledge. When preparing breakfast the next 
morning they discovered an enormous panther watching them 
as he laid crouched upon the limb of an oak. The three men 
fired simultaneously and the animal fell dead. This incident, 
the details of which were given to us by Mr, John C. French, 



62 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 

gave rise to the name of " Catamount," a considerable eminence 
to the east of the village. Some confusion has long prevailed 
and still exists concerning the panther, his true habitat being 
Asia and Africa, while his cousin in our continent is limited to 
South America, the Mexican Cordilleras and the Rocky Moun- 
tains, and is otherwise known as the puma or cougar. Its pres- 
ent range is probably from Texas to Patagonia, but there is no 
doubt that it was formerly wider and more northerly. In North 
America it has been in the east generally known as the cata- 
mount, and in the west as the painter. 

Wild Cat or Bay Lynx, Fe/is catus. This variety is also dan- 
gerous and will sometimes attack man. It is known in the ver- 
nacular as the " bob-tail," and is a very ugly customer at close 
quarters. Before Manchester became a city, the highway lead- 
ing to Goffe's falls ran through thick woods for nearly the whole 
distance. A man was hauling a load of wood into town, accom- 
panied by a small dog, and after reaching a point near the Val- 
ley cemetery, a wild-cat came out of the woods and attacked the 
dos:. The driver took a round four-foot stick of wood from his 
load and killed the cat, bringing the carcass into town, where it 
■was for some time on exhibition in a window of the old town 
house, and the writer well remembers seeing it. They were in 
the early days quite common, but are now seldom seen, though 
occasionally encountered to this day. Only last September the 
writer with his nephew heard the wailing, long-drawn and lone- 
some cry of a lynx, probably calling for its mate. This was in 
the thick woods of Tamworth, sixty miles away, but in a short 
half-day journey these wild-cats might make a honeymoon trip 
to Derryfield Park. 

Canada Lynx or Loupcervier, Felis Canadensis. This is an 
extremely shy little animal, not prone to attack man or beast un- 
less driven to a corner. It is also popularly known as a wild-cat, 
and was once common here. 

Wolf, Canis occidentalis. None have been seen here outside 
of a menagerie for a hundred years ; before that time they had 



HISTORY OF DERRYFIELD. 63 

to be reckoned with, especially in winter when food was scarce. 
These destructive beasts were persistently hunted by early set- 
tlers, and large numbers were trapped or shot, each capture at 
once ridding the settlement of an enemy and giving the captors 
a valuable pelt. The writer has never seen a wolf but has met 
an old gentleman who saw one in his boyhood. He said they 
looked at each other for a minute ; the boy then threw up his 
hands, yelled and ran towards home, and the wolf ran the other 
way. The cowardly nature of wolves and their habit of hunting 
in packs is well known. 

Wolverine, Gulo liiscus. This diminutive, carnivorous glut- 
ton has been supposed to be not nearer to us than Michigan, but 
on the authority of the late William Little this animal was once 
in New Hampshire and had been seen in Warren. 

Black Bear, Ursjis Americaims. This terror of sheep, calves, 
pigs and woman-folk was common in this locality in the time 
of the first settlers and long afterwards, disappearing about the 
first of the present century, with the exception of wanderers, 
which were seen here as late as 1834. Though classed with the 
carnivora, the black bear is a vegetarian, subsisting mainly upon 
edible plants and fruit, especially blueberries, of which he is ex- 
tremely fond, and indulging in a diet of honey whenever he can 
get at a wild hive. He is fond of green corn and created more 
havoc in corn-fields than in any other way. He is not especially 
dangerous, and stories of terrific hand-to-hand encounters with 
bears are greatly exaggerated. Bears very rarefy permit them- 
selves to be seen. The writer has climbed, fished and camped 
among the mountains in the wooded regions about Albany and 
Waterville, and from Livermore Falls to Ossipee, where they 
are still somewhat numerous, but in twenty-five years of such 
experience has not had the pleasure of seeing or even hearing a 
black bear. We were finally permitted to see one from the top 
of a stage-coach, on an excursion from the Crawford House to 
the "Flume and Bowlder." When young the bear is playful, 
easily tamed, and is an expert in the art of hugging. 



64 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 

Moose, Alee Americanus. Hunters now seek Canadian covers 
or the wilds of Maine to kill these magnificent animals, which 
are even there becoming scarce. They were once numerous in 
this section, but withdrew before the advancing settlers. The 
well-known moose yards on sheltered slopes and thickets of the 
neighboring mountains, especially in Deerfield and Nottingham, 
were visited by early colonial hunters, the deep snow making 
the herded moose an easy prey. 

Deer, Cervus Americanus. This is the common fallow-deer, 
known generally as the red or brown deer. One hundred years 
ago and earlier deer were more common than cattle are to-day, 
and were especially valuable, serving both for food and clothing. 
The skins were home-tanned and made into jackets, mittens, 
leggins and boots, or made useful in a great variety of ways, in 
making chair seats, snow-shoes, etc. While the deer was at first 
killed solely for these purposes, there came a time when they 
were hunted nearly to extermination, at the close of the Revo- 
lution, on account of the great scarcity of grain. The crime of 
the deer consisted in their eating and tramping down the grow- 
ing crops of wheat, corn and rye. So much mischief was done 
in this way that many towns offered a bounty for their destruc- 
tion, and the office of "deer keeper" was created, the duty of 
that official being to abate the deer nuisance. They are still 
common in the northern part of the state, and have been seen 
even within the city bounds during the last twelve-month. 

Caribou or American Reindeer, Tarangns zangifer. This is a 
woodland ranger, now confined to Canada and northern Maine, 
or found in the region of the great lakes. 

Beaver, Castor fiber. This wonderful animal has furnished 
the world with an example of intelligent instinct scarcely paral- 
elled in the whole range of the brute creation. Engineer, sur- 
veyor, architect and builder, his achievements are comparable to 
those of men supplied with the tools of civilization. The exist- 
ence of beaver-meadows and the finding of logs knawed asunder 



HISTORY OF DERRYFIELD, 6$ 

by their industrious teeth testify to their former residence here. 
The beaver passed with the last century, but we were informed 
by the late Joseph M. Rowell, one of the oldest native-born res- 
idents of Derryfield, that he had in his boyhood seen their fresh 
skins brought in by trappers, and he distinctly remembered what 
was pointed out to him as a "beaver slide," on the bank of an 
inlet to the Piscataquog river. The fur of this animal has always 
been valuable, and many an old settler paid for his first cow with 
a bundle of beaver skins. 

The Black or Silver-Grey Fox, an animal of the genus Vulpes, 
is now seldom found within the limits of the state ; once here in 
considerable numbers, stray specimens having been seen within 
the last quarter-century. The skins are now valuable and are 
sometimes in use for hearth-mats. 

Red Fox, Vulpes fulvus. This cunning and mischievous ani- 
mal still survives in this and neighboring towns, and notwith- 
standing there are more hunters than game the fox is said to be 
upon the increase. His favorite dishes are domestic fowls, the 
larger and fatter the better, and he makes nothing of carrying 
off a full-grown gobbler. When young they are easily tamed, 
but not easily kept, as they will escape if possible. The fox is 
a thief by nature, a criminal by heredity, and takes to the road 
as inevitably as a highwayman. He is the embodiment of cun- 
ning and adroitness, and in folk-lore tales is always assigned the 
part of combined rogue and villain, which he perfectly plays in 
real life. It is said that he has never less than two holes to his 
burrow, and it is certain he has a good many strings to his bow. 
His survival to this day, amid the civilized surroundings of a 
great city, is little less than a miracle. 

Raccoon, Procyon lotor. Most of our older citizens have seen 
and hunted the "coon " in his hollow. Year after year, since the 
larger sorts of game became scarce, the sport of coon-hunting 
has gone on under the eyes of the October moon, but in spite 
of men and dogs the sly old coon contrives to live, even within 
6 



66 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 

gunshot hearing of the mayor's ofifice, and coon-suppers are still 
served by the chef oi the Derryfield Club. In old times the fur 
of this animal was extensively used for home-made overcoats 
and winter caps. As long as there are country corn-fields there 
will be coons. The raccoon belongs to the bear family and like 
him lives upon both a flesh and vegetable diet. 

Otter, Liitra Canadensis. This aquatic, fish-feeding animal 
was formerly not infrequent here, haunting the trout-streams, 
being partial to fish without scales. They are expert swimmers 
and divers and marvellously swift in movement. A single pair 
of otters will depopulate an ordinary trout brook in an incredibly 
short time. They are now rare this side the upper Coos mead- 
ows. Their fur is very valuable. 

Mink, Patorins vison. This fur-bearing animal belongs to the 
weasel family and is- carnivorous. It is semi-aquatic and makes 
its burrow usually in the bank of a river or brook. Lines of 
traps were laid along the Merrimack, Piscataquog, Black Brook 
and their tributaries, and along other streams to the north, by 
down-country trappers, many years before any permanent occu- 
pation or settlement. The "Mink Hills" in Salisbury received 
their name more than one hundred and sixty years ago. The 
animals most sought after were the beaver, otter, fisher-cat and 
mink, but the traps were sometimes sprung by less desirable 
creatures. Mink skins were early esteemed and even passed 
current in lieu of money for many years. The mink is here 
practically extinct, though stray specimens are occasionally met. 
They are also fond of trout and will travel long distances to 
obtain them. The late Bradbury P. Cilley had for years a small 
trout-pond on his premises at the corner of Amherst and Walnut 
streets. These fish, which had attained good size, disappeared 
in a night. The owner supposed some one had caught them 
with line and hook, until the real culprits were discovered to be 
a pair of minks. These had made their way along the course of 
Mile brook, which ran for a distance of many blocks in a closed 
culvert through a thickly settled part of the city. The outlet of 



HISTORY OF DERRYFIELD. 6^ 

the brook was then into a pond on Hanover square, within a 
few rods of the trout. And yet many people think that man 
is the only animal that knows anything. The fish in the large 
Derryfield trout-preserves, a few miles south of us, have been 
also destroyed by minks. These depredations were committed 
within the last ten years. 

Muskrat or Musquash, Fiber zibithiciis. Common to-day and 
in all places where there is water and comparative seclusion. 
It is probable they even now prowl through the covered culverts 
of the city. The Indians made use of them for food, and Dr. 
Saccalexis Glossian, an Oldtown Indian formerly residing here, 
pronounced them delicious. This depraved taste is hard to be 
understood by delicate white men accustomed to pig's liver and 
stewed kidneys. 

Hedge Hog or American Porcupine, Hystrix dorsata. This 
curious animal is seldom seen, as it is strictly nocturnal in its 
habits and haunts the most secluded spots, usually among rock- 
masses at the foot of high cliffs. Their food is said to consist 
of insects, worms, snails and salamanders. The dog that tackles 
a full-grown hedge-hog will be consumed with regret and his con- 
fidence in himself will be impaired for about three weeks. 

Skunk or Pole Cat, Mephitis Americana. The less said about 
this unsavory animal the better, but we regret being obliged to 
record the fact that he is still with us, even at our cellar-doors. 
Within three years, in the basement of a house on Union street, 
between Concord and Lowell, and hard by the Bishop's palace, a 
box-trap was baited with the neck of a chicken, and his crown- 
lavender highness captured therein and afterwards successfully 
chloroformed by a woman ; and yet some of us are deluded with 
the idea that woman needs our protecting care. 

Woodchuck or Ground Hog, Arctomys monax. This trouble- 
some farmer's pest has always been and is still common here, 
and is destructive to bean-vines and other growing crops, espec- 
ially to the red clover, trampling down much more than is eaten. 
The tanned skins are extremely tough and durable, and were 



68 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 

formerly cut up in narrow strips and braided into whip-lashes. 
The process used by farmer boys fifty years ago was as follows : 
Bury the hides in wet ashes, to remove the hair ; then put them 
in soft soap over night ; take out and scrape the skin and hang 
it over the back of an old chair in the attic — this is important ; 
let it get dry but not too dry, and finally work by hand until it 
becomes soft and pliable. The writer has used these home-made 
whips when riding " the old mare," in the delightful pastime of 
plowing on a side hill. It is not generally known that the wood- 
chuck is a good whistler ; he has a habit of sitting in front of 
his burrow in a thunder-shower and uttering a series of short, 
sharp notes, twelve or more in number, in a curious diminuendo. 
They will sometimes whistle when about to be taken from a trap, 
but that performance is usually brief. 

Rabbit or Northern Hare, Lepiis canicubis. Common always 
and even now plentiful though hunters are numerous. It is a 
rodent and very prolific. From being brown in the summer the 
fur, which is of small value, changes to nearly white in winter, 
and affords an instance of protective coloring. 

Weasel, Piitorioiis vulgaris. There are several varieties, in- 
cluding the white weasel, stoat or ermine, the tawny weasel, the 
small weasel and the little nimble weasel. Though so small as 
to make a hole in the snow no larger than a broom-handle, the 
weasel is a terror to hens and chickens, which he kills by a bite 
in the neck from which he sucks the blood. They are said to 
be spry enough to get away between the flash of a rifle and the 
bullet. The fur is valuable, and some weasels with glass eyes 
may still be seen clinging to the necks of fair women. 

Grey Squirrel, Sciiirus Carolinensis. The grey and black, the 
chickaree or red, the chipping, chipmunk or striped squirrel, and 
the flying-squirrel, once very common here, are now compara- 
tively scarce. In size the black squirrel equals or exceeds the 
full-grown grey ; these are now rarely seen but have been killed 
here within forty years. A white chipmunk is said to have been 
recently shot in Pembroke ; probably a freak. 



HISTORY OF DERRYFIELD. 69 

Several other valuable fur-bearing animals were once found 
here, among them the sable or pine-marten, and Pennant's mar- 
ten or fisher-cat. These were formerly trapped in great numbers 
but are now generally confined to the White Mountain region 
and northerly. We have seen the tracks of the fisher-cat along 
the mountain brooks in Albany. 

There were several varieties of moles, some of which are still 
with us. Among these were the star-nose, shrew, Say's least- 
shrew, and Brewer's shrew mole. Similarly, we had Wilson's 
meadow mouse, American white-footed mouse, Leconte's pine 
or field mouse, the jumping mouse, and soon after the settlers 
had provided themselves with homes the house mouse appeared. 
The last-named are extremely dangerous. With advancing civ- 
ilization came also black and Norway rats, which now make the 
lives of women one long-drawn and suspicious misery. We have 
also the common little slate-colored bat, which, unlike the flying 
sqirrrel, actually flies. There is not the slightest truth in the 
nursery fable that bats will suck the blood of sleeping infants, 
or that they purposely fly into heads of hair. 

Concerning birds, now or formerly found here, it will be con- 
venient to divide them into four classes : First, game birds or 
birds fit for food, hunted for that purpose. Among these were 
the wild turkey, spruce partridge, wild pigeon, and the ruffed 
grouse ; our woods once abounded with these fine game-birds, 
but they are now practically extinct. Of those surviving, the 
brown partridge or American quail, woodcock, wild goose, the 
black duck, wood duck and sheldrake, and very rarely upland 
plover, may be mentioned. Second, song and other birds now 
rare — bald eagle, golden eagle, black hawk, goshawk, great horn- 
ed owl, and long-eared and short-eared owl; three-toed banded 
woodpecker, the pileated, red-headed, yellow-bellied, and black- 
banded-three-toed-woodpecker, and the green and night heron. 
Third, in addition to the above the ears of the early settlers were 
greeted with the notes of not less than twenty native birds, all 



70 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 

rare at this day and rapidly becoming extinct. Fourth, the mi- 
grants, rapidly joining the class of rare birds ; these include also 
about twenty varieties. 

Of birds which were considered common twenty-five years ago 
Mr. William Little gave a list of eighty-five, and even in the 
brief period which has since elapsed not less than one-third of 
the whole number may now be classed as rare. In another place 
we intend further comment upon the threatened extinction of 
our songbirds. 

Under the head of reptiles we find to-day, although some are 
very rare, the following : The black or snapping turtle, and the 
mud turtle or musk tortoise ; also the painted, spotted, box and 
Blanding's box tortoise and the wood terrapin. 

Of snakes wq have the common striped snake, the green or 
grass snake, ribbon snake, house or milk adder, field and swamp 
adder, the black snake, the red or brown wood snake, the ring- 
necked snake, black water snake and rattlesnake. Ring-necked, 
ribbon, and rattlesnake are now rare. The latter, the only pois- 
onous variety, was formerly common here. The writer knows 
of but one authenticated case of a rattler being killed within the 
city limits in the last twenty-five years, but it is said they still 
haunt the neighborhood of "The Pinnacle" and other rocky 
ledges in Hooksett. Until quite recently it was claimed they 
were killed there at the rate of about one per annum. Notwith- 
standing a wide spread, popular belief to the contrary, not one 
of the other snakes mentioned is poisonous. The black water- 
snake, still common in the Massabesic and other neighborhood 
ponds, and the cause of so much unreasoning terror, is entirely 
harmless, its bite being no more fatal than that of a pickerel, and 
finally they never bite anything but frogs. They can be easily 
caught by tying a live frog to a string and sinking it in the bay 
or inlet which they haunt ; said snake having swallowed the frog 
aforesaid may be pulled ashore, whereupon he will at once dis- 
gorge his prey. The released frog, like Jonah of old, sometimes 



HISTORY OF DERRYFIELD. 7I 

escapes unhurt, perhaps to furnish food for another of these ter- 
rible freshwater sea-serpents. 

Under the head of fishes we can make only brief mention of 
the commoner sorts remaining. The salmon, shad, sturgeon, 
ale-wife and lamprey-eel will be considered later, observing here 
only that their great abundance in these waters led to an occu- 
pation and settlement much earlier than that usually assigned 
by historians. The rivers once abounded with the red roach or 
bearded chub, the white chub or dace, suckers, shiners, silver 
eels, etc., the lakes and ponds with pout, perch and pickerel, and 
the contributing streams hereabout were fairly alive with the 
speckled trout. More than forty years ago the writer caught 
the red roach in the rapids of the lower canal weirs, and great 
pickerel, weighing from six to seven pounds each, were in those 
days caught from the end of a short plank wharf on the Offutt 
shore of the Massabesic. Several alewife brooks run into this 
lake and in recent years large numbers of alewives have been 
taken from them in the annual spring runs. Their presence is 
an anomaly, and like land-locked salmon they must be referred 
to a time when the sea covered a large part of the state. Sixty 
years ago silver eels were so plentiful in the Massabesic that 
they were salted down by the barrel for winter use. To-day a 
native fish worth the catching in brook, lake or river is almost a 
curiosity. We still have a few fine trout streams, some of which 
have been restocked ; the removal of the timber, however, has 
so reduced their volume that we can never hope, even under 
"protection," that the brooks will again offer to anglers more 
than a shadow of the old-time sport. The lakes have also been 
stocked — with bass which no one wants, with wall-eyed salmon 
which no one can catch. Meantime lake, pond, river and brook 
grow less yearly and threaten by and by to dry up; meanwhile 
the work of felling the woods along the water-courses and upon 
the sloping shores of lakes goes on, and people begin to wonder 
if our water-supply will fail, and why. Massachusetts has in the 



72 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 

past come to us more than once for ice ; she now very strongly 
hints that she needs some of our water. While we desire to 
be very neighborly, it is just possible we shall soon have none to 
spare for either love or money. 

We seem to see in dim colonial vistas a scene like one painted 
upon the canvas of a dream. Hardy trappers and hunters roam 
the woods ; through the thick glades the crack of the flint-lock 
musket rouses the echoes, answered by the call of early-risen 
birds, the noise of waters, the trampling feet of beasts. Over 
the wooded plains sweeping to the Merrimack, following the 
paths of brooks and guided by the roar of river rapids, children 
ranged without fear through thickets far from the rude shelter 
of their homes. The smoke of the settler's fire had supplanted 
the smouldering heap of the Indian ; but for years every sense 
was alert to interpret the sounds borne in upon the air of night, 
to question each fresh trail through the dew of morning. A 
broken twig, a fall of moss, the crushing of a tuft of deer-grass 
— did these betray the heel of a foe or of a friend ? No strange 
noise escaped the settler's ear; startled, perchance, in the pur- 
suit of game by a sudden bruit and clamor, he leans to listen 
only to the far-away cry of the loon or the crescendo in the for- 
est where the partridge beats his drum. 



<5o9tribiJtio9S 



TD THE 



JHistoryof Old Derryfield, 



BY WILLIAM ELLERY MOORE. 



PART FOURTH. 
PRICE TWENTY-FIVE CENTS. 



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HISTORY OF DERRYFIELD, 

NEW HAMPSHIRE. 

INDIANS AND EARLY SETTLEMENTS. 



PKELTMINARY — THE XIPMUCKS — INDIAN HABITS AND RELICS— MARRIAGE 

AND MOTHERHOOD — PATRONYMICS — FAMOUS SQUAWS — SERMON ON 

FISH — TRANSITION PERIOD — OCCUPATION AND SETTLEMENT. 



BY WILLIAM E. MOORE. 



A PAPER READ BEFORE THE 



MANCHESTER HISTORIC ASSOCIATION. 



PART IV. 



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TO THE 

HISTORY OF DERRYFIELD, 

BY WILLIAM E. MOORE. 



CHAPTER VIII. 



PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS. 



The historian who attempts to draw aside the veil which has 
for centuries hidden the annals of an obscure people, scant in 
numbers, low in civilization, destitute even of a written tongue, 
has before him no easy task, and one rendered still more difficult 
from the fact that in his first contact with civilization the Indian 
was surrounded with white men who were themselves illiterate. 
Only after the passing of the tribe was the effort made to put 
into some sort of order the scattered records and traditions con- 
cerning them, and this was so scantily done that a single para- 
graph might set forth the story, as who should say : There 
were Indians ; there are no Indians. 

THE NIPMUCKS. 

There appears to be a general agreement that one or more 
tribes of Indians inhabited a belt of inland country in Massa- 
chusetts and southern New Hampshire, more or less removed 
from the sea, and that these were known as Nipmucks, signify- 
ing by a license of free translation, freshwater Indians. They 
seem to have been neither numerous nor warlike and probably 



^6 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 

held a position of little importance among the stronger and more 
ambitious tribes surrounding them. It is quite certain they 
took no prominent part in the bloody drama of the French and 
Indian wars, since no Nipmuck name adorns nor deed disfigures 
the page of history. It is said that the tribe with which we are 
more immediately concerned was subject to the Penacooks ; and 
this is rendered more plausible from the fact that the headquar- 
ters of that tribe, generally made at Penacook, were sometimes 
transferred to Amoskeag, probably in the height of the fishing 
season, and in virtue of the right of the stronger. 

INDIAN HABITS AND RELICS. 

From evidence which appears conclusive we locate the head- 
quarters of the Nipmucks at or near Amoskeag Falls, a place 
famous for hunting and fishing. Hunting has become a thing 
of the past, though to this day the search is kept up for any stray 
fish which may have escaped the Nipmuck nets. The chief vil- 
lage, or more accurately the village of the chief, was situated on 
the hill-bluff known as "The Willows," now owned by Ex-Gov. 
Frederick Smyth. In the steep banks of this bluff, and where 
the soil had been upturned, there was found a great number of 
broken fragments of rude pottery and other utensils used by the 
Indians. Nearly everything naturally grouped under the head 
of Indian relics has been found on the site of this village, includ- 
ing arrow and spear-heads in great variety, stone mortars and 
pestles, stone axes, gouges, clubs, and fish-knives, stone tools for 
removing fish-scales or scraping skins, bone fish-hooks, needles, 
hairpins, and numerous other relics, some broken, but many per- 
fectly preserved. When making an excavation on the premises, 
for the purpose of forming a small artificial pond, there was un- 
earthed a deposit of arrow and spearheads, knives, etc., of quartz, 
flint or chert, which with unfinished specimens and chipped frag- 
ments amounted in the whole to several bushels. This was 
probably one of the workshops or armories of the tribe, and un- 



HISTORY OF DERRYFIELD. 'JJ 

doubtedly the first Aiiinskeag manufactory. Over the whole sec- 
tion surrounding the falls, on either side, in fact from Goffe's 
Falls to Martin's Ferry, a great number of the various relics 
above enumerated have been picked up, several valuable collec- 
tions having been made, perhaps the most interesting being that 
of the late Samuel B. Kidder. They were more numerous up- 
on the village-site referred to, on the elevation west of the P. C. 
Cheney Company's mills, as well as elsewhere and near by, on 
the large island below the falls and the level stretch of land im- 
mediately below the great eddy. At all these points, as well as 
in the bed of the river, valuable finds have rewarded the patient 
relic-hunter. At the mouth of Christian brook, known also in 
later times as the " fair-ground brook," and also at the mouth of 
Ray brook, there have been found many interesting relics. The 
bank of the river north of the latter stream is quite steep, and 
here about twenty years ago the writer found a nest of a dozen 
or more large chipped slate-stones, wholly unlike the convention- 
al spear-head, but yet of undoubted human workmanship, which 
had been probably used for cleaning fish. They were buried at 
a considerable depth, having been uncovered by a fall of earth 
occurring because of high water. There are signs of old fires, 
pieces of charred wood remaining at a depth of three or more 
feet. Throughout this entire section similar mementos have 
been discovered, especially on the sandy margins of lakes and 
ponds. A symmetrically chipped arrow-head of milk-quartz was 
found by the writer, when a mere boy, on the beach at Massa- 
besic Lake. 

The foregoing facts, even in the absence of other evidence, 
is ample to establish the presence of Indians here in considera- 
ble numbers and for a long period, probably centuries before the 
advent of the whites. Tradition assigns no spot which we can 
point out as an Indian burial place. It is said there are several 
Indian graves near the entrance from the highway to the Devil's 
Den in Chester. It is also said and has long been currently 
believed that the site of a number of wigwams was upon Brown's 



78 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 

Island in the Massabesic, and this is altogether likely. The sole 
indication of a burial place in this immediate vicinity, which has 
come to our knowledge, was the finding of human bones sup- 
posed to be those of Indians, in the grading of Penacook street, 
about 1875. 

The only approach to a permanent settlement was that around 
the home of the chief. More than forty wigwams were scattered 
over this picturesque knoll, a fine view of the Merrimack being 
afforded from the willow palisades surrounding the village. It 
is quite certain that numerous temporary wigwams were erected 
at or near the more important points above mentioned, on both 
sides of the Merrimack, some of which may have been perman- 
ent. From the well-known roving character of the Indian it is 
likely that in the summer months at least they grew like the 
mushroom in a single night and as soon vanished. 

The traditional, dark-red, fawn-like Indian maiden was not of 
the Nipmucks. She is the creation of a diluted sentimentality, 
a mere dream of a class of poets too lazy to saw wood but able 
to invent aboriginal lies by the gross. The bewitching squaw 
who leaped for love from the top of Rock Rimmon was not after 
mayflowers ; it is much more likely that she was overloaded with 
muskrats and lost her way. The noble Nipmuck lover was also 
an invention, patented by Cooper. If these romantic types ever 
existed it was before the era of discovery. In contact with the 
white man the Indian adopted only his vices ; these, superadded 
to savage traits, could not well produce heroes either in love or 
war. We have ransacked the records of the past, turned to the 
testimony of the dead, and listened to the lies of the living, but 
have failed utterly to discover proof of greatness, or even the 
dawn of a progressive and civilizing instinct among either the 
Nipmucks or Penacooks. 

The red man was fond of fishing and hunting, but he killed 
solely to obtain food, clothing, or materials to give him shelter, 
and was not ennobled by the zest of sportsmanship. In him the 
instinct of self-preservation scarcely rose above the level of the 



HISTORY OF DERRYFIELD. 79 

wild beasts he slew. Our people, however, seem to have a weak- 
ness for idols of all colors and stand ready to bow down and 
serve them. All that is needed is a remote historical episode, 
recounted by a white Ananias, and an ideal Pocahontas appears. 
But we soon tire of the old favorites, and one by one the saints, 
martyrs and heroes of history are knocked off their perch. His- 
tories are no longer tales agreed upon, but begin to be viewed 
with suspicion. William Tell is a myth, the Scottish Mary was 
freckled, even King Richard was not a hunchback, and George 
Washington swore. Soon shall the frivolous generations pass, 
and as they die will fade the memory of men once deemed im- 
mortal. Philip, Tecumseh, Logan, Oceola and Passaconaway 
have vanished, to be followed by the red drunkard of the reser- 
vation. 

With as little success we have sought for an aesthetic trait in 
the Nipmuck character, or for some evidence of a moral sense. 
Surrounded upon the one hand with beauty and upon the other 
by terrifying aspects of nature, he was blind to the one and by 
the other affrighted, A seen enemy he attacked and tried to 
kill ; before an unknown danger he cowered and prayed, his so- 
called acts of worship inspired alone by ignorance and fear. 

About him grew myriads of flowering plants and shrubs, in 
dell or defile, glade or glen, in the natural meadows and over the 
upland slopes, terraces and plateaus. When following the chase 
or crouching in wait for game the moccasined foot could scarce- 
ly fall without crushing a blossom. Here the wind-flower and 
the blue and yellow violet grew, the laurel and the flower de 
luce ; the blue closed gentian and its white-fingered sister, and 
the great fringed orchis. These do not detain the hunter. He 
hears not the oration of Jack-in-the-Pulpit ; the wild rose spreads 
its bloom to him who hastens. To such a woodsman the scarlet 
robe of the cardinal-flower has no meaning, the sweet-brier no 
fragrance, the queen of the meadow no style. The red scalp or 
flaming coat of tanager or wood-tapper may allure him, but the 



80 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 

rare blush of Arethusa he passes with indifference. Concerning 
the world of plant life his thought is, if he has one, Can I eat it, 
or will it cure snake-bite ? The wild deer for which he waits 
will reason as acutely. 

The hues of the sky at sunset may suggest to the Indian rain 
or drowth, but never beauty ; and as he looks from his hemlock 
bed to the crimson light of dawn upon the western summits, in 
his breast no emotion kindles, as with gutteral accent he says, 
This is another day. To a meteor he gives a grunt, to a comet 
two ; and when the Northern Lights begin to flash and in the 
intermittent gleam the stars grow pale, he sees only a reflection 
from the campfires of a mightier race of hunters in the far and 
frozen north. 

The wants of the Nipmuck did not make him unhappy, though 
in this very evil case we find the civilized citizen of to-day. The 
savage saw neither virtue or sweetness in a useless plant ; the 
average society atom sees no sweetness in character or loveliness 
in life without a bank-account. We wish to be just — even to 
an Indian. 

The agriculture of the Nipmuck was of a rude sort, the rich 
soil of natural meadows or intervales being usually selected as 
planting places, and when these were not available other tracts 
were reclaimed by fire and the larger trees killed by the process 
of girdling. The preparation of the ground, planting, hoeing 
and harvesting — nearly everything coming under the head of 
work — was performed by women and children. The men were 
kind enough to furnish the raw material for the manufacture of 
tools, such as the axe, the stone or clam-shell hoe and other cut- 
ting implements, his own time being otherwise fully occupied 
in making arms and equipments for the hunt and allied mascu- 
line occupations. So that numerous avenues of employment 
remained open to the gentler sex, and we are beginning to recog- 
nize in our time the wisdom of this arrangement. We now per- 
mit our wives and mothers, but more especially the larger class 
of sisters, cousins and aunts, to whom these relations of life are 



HISTORY. OF DERRYFIELD. 8l 

closed, or which have been declined with thanks, to assume some 
portion of our burdens, at a reduced rate of compensation. 

The range of cultivated food-products was generally limited 
to corn, squashes, pumpkins, melons and kidney-beans. They 
derived, however, a large part of their winter food-su])i)ly from 
nuts, sweet acorns, dried fish, smoked meats, etc., prepared in 
various unpalatable ways, but capable of supporting life. There 
were no seasons throughout the year when fresh flesh food, of 
fish, fowl or animal, could not be had in abundance, and if there 
were times of scarcity the cause usually proceeded from indo- 
lence or improvidence. 

We are unable to give the Nipmuck name of the Indian after- 
wards known as Christian or Christo. This name is said to have 
been bestowed upon him soon after his conversion to Christian- 
ity by the Apostle Kliot, but this lacks probability. It is much 
more likely that he had it from the Jesuits, or assumed it for pur- 
poses of his own. Like St. Paul he was at times all things to 
all men — a Nipmuck, an Arosagunticook ; a Puritan, a convert 
to Catholicism. Christo is first heard of in company with a St. 
Francis Indian called Plausawa, a not very good pronunciation 
of Francois. They had sufficient intercourse with the settlers 
to ascertain that white christians made slaves of black men, 
and that the profits of the trade were large. Acting upon this 
hint they stole two negroes in Canterbury and started with them 
for Canada, one escaping^ upon the way and the other being sold 
to a French officer. Christo seems to have had seasons of back- 
sliding and repentance, such as the praying Indians generally 
enjoyed, and after a series of apochryphal adventures he settled 
at Amoskeag. His cabin or hut was near the mouth of Chris- 
tian brook, which entered the Merrimack immediately west of 
the Amoskeag Paper Mills. Here he lived in an outward show 
of peace for some years, professing friendship for the whites, 
by whom he was distrusted. At length he was suspected of 
conveying intelligence and giving secret aid to the hostile St. 
Francis or Arosagunticook Indians, whereupon, during his ab- 



82 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 

sence they confiscated his personal belongings and burned his 
cabin. Potter says that Christo subsequently returned and for- 
gave the whites for this cruel injury. Other accounts, more in 
consonance with the Indian character, say that he openly joined 
the Arosagunticooi<s and became an active and implacable foe. 
This little trout-stream is now hidden beneath the surface by 
the march of improvement, for nearly a mile of its course, and 
the generation to come will know neither name nor place. 

Plausawa had also been an occasional visitor at Amoskeag, 
accompanied by another drunken brave called Sabbatis, a name 
representing his baptism into Christianity, literally St. Baptiste, 
These Indian thieves and murderers, after the commission of a 
series of outrages in Canterbury, Salisbury and Warren, as well 
as in this neighborhood, were finally killed in Boscawen by one 
Peter Bovven. The full details of this affair are given in Little's 
History of Warren. 

Upon the authority of certain early historians we are asked to 
believe that upon the death of the great chief of the Micmacs 
or Taratines, a powerful and warlike tribe in the Province of 
Maine, to whom the Penacooks were subject, a war of succes- 
sion arose, which resulted in the choice of Passaconaway to 
succeed the dead Bashaba, who had been slain in battle. This 
war for supremacy became general and involved all the tribes 
from New Brunswick to the Hudson river and from Massachu- 
setts to Canada. The exact limits were not known and proba- 
bly can never be determined. The numbers engaged were large, 
the war continued for years ; it is said to have been conducted 
with great ferocity and to have been especially disastrous to the 
coast tribes, who were no match for the hardy inland hunters. 
Many of the names preserved to us are those of chiefs and war- 
riors who had become famous in this great war, which was the 
most sanguinary and relentless ever waged among the Indians 
of the east. The great plague, to which nearly all the earlier 
accounts refer, raged among the Nipmucks towards the close of 



HISTORY OF DERRYFIELD. 83 

this war. The origin of this plague has never been satisfactorily 
accounted for, or its nature clearly understood, but we hazard a 
conjecture that the contagion was communicated by the Indians 
of New France, who in turn received it from the whites then in 
Canada in considerable numbers. At all events it was believed 
the loss by battle and plague literally decimated the ranks of the 
savages and brought the war to a close before the landing of the 
Pilgrims at Plymouth. The early accounts must be received 
with great caution, ample allowance made for the time in which 
they were written, and due regard had to the sources of inform- 
ation. " Broken English " is scarcely a fit vehicle for the trans- 
mission of historical data. The skeletons of those who fell in 
savage strife, or succumbed to plague and famine four centuries 
ago, might as easily be clothed with life as could the details of 
that distant scene be dug from their oblivion. 

Upon this middle ground, between the Plymouth Puritan and 
the pioneer Jesuit of New France, there was another curious en- 
counter, an episode in the struggle between two forces, whose 
declaration of war ante-dated the discovery of America. When- 
ever and wherever these met, in the long centuries, the hostile 
lines were drawn. And so it came to pass that in a new world, 
for the soil of which kings contended, the adherents of Pope and 
Prostestant, in savage bands, the one inspired by a Mather, che 
other by a Marquette, each in the name of a common Redeemer, 
stood opposed in conflict. Thus, upon the virgin soil of New 
Hampshire, in that first century of its occupation, was shed the 
blood of religious hatred. Time has fortunately softened these 
asperities, and in the new dawn of a wiser christian charity we 
seem to see the promise of brotherhood and reconciliation. 

As the light of the fire-fly is illusive or intermittent, so Indian 
lore and tradition lead us along a pathway sometimes overcast 
with darkness and often difficult to follow. The time is distant, 
the actors are defunct, and the record is becoming more indis- 



84 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 

tinct and uncertain. But we still follow the trail with ardor in 
an endeavor to enrich our barren annals, and we know that we 
are on the ground. Some may even thank us for this attempt 
to restore these fast-fading pictures of the past. 



MARRIAGE AND MOTHERHOOD. 

It is not certain that the Nipmucks were polygamous, but the 
line was not far removed. They seldom lived with more than one 
squaw at the same time, but on the other hand a healthy brave 
generally contrived to marry from six to nine maidens during an 
average life of four-score and ten years. The squaw was wedded 
when quite young, frequently at twelve years of age ; but con- 
stant drudgery and exposure broke them down early, so that at 
thirty they became prematurely old and were wrinkled at forty. 
They endeavored for a time to keep up appearances, just as we 
observe the old hens of our generation in their efforts to parade 
with spring chickens. It made little difference to the mother, 
and none whatever to the pappoose, whether the medicine-man 
was called in or not. When his services were invoked he com- 
monly made a great pow-wow in front of the wickyup before en- 
tering, and more pow-wow upon emerging, concluding with an 
invocation or chant addressed apparently to the great Square of 
Pegasus. In order that the old wife might be supplanted by the 
new, separation was made easy, and the discarded wife and moth- 
er did not complain, afterwards contenting herself with adopting 
some captive as a son or husband, as the case might be. Some 
of these captives, thus summarily wedded without ceremony or 
consent, were white men, and part first of the very pathetic story 
of Pocahontas rests solely upon this custom. 

We have purposely omitted the disgusting details of home-life, 
suggesting merely that an ample water-supply was not dimin- 
ished or contaminated, as the Nipmuck squaw never took a bath 
or any other step toward cleanliness. 



HISTORY OF DERRYFIELD. S$ 

INDIAN PATRONYMICS. 

We have so long been familiar with the names of the neigh- 
mountains, streams and lakes that we seldom pause to inquire 
concerning their godfathers, and in many cases have not even 
suspected their Nipmuck origin. As will have been observed, 
the names of most of our larger rive-'s, lakes and highlands are 
purely Indian ; the Merrimack, Piscataquog, Souhegan, Nashua, 
Cohas, Soucook, Suncook and Contoocook ; the Baboosic and 
Massabesic, Pawtuckaway and the Uncanoonucks — supply us 
with instances. The manner of spelling these various names 
has from time to time been curiously varied, while their pronun- 
ciation has been no less capricious. The examples heretofore 
given, however, may from long usage be now regarded as settled. 

The etymology of Indian names offers an attractive field for 
study, and if many are involved in obscurity it only adds zest to 
the chase. The scope of our contributions will not permit us 
to enter upon this department of inquiry, and it is relegated to 
experts in barbarous philology. We have observed that the 
modern author appears over-anxious to disagree with writers 
who have preceded him. Each latest-adopted history or school 
atlas requires the student to commit to memory a new set of 
names of persons, places and things never before heard of, and 
should he attempt in after years to repeat these his own children 
will laugh at him. 

As to the survival of certain names to the exclusion of others 
we have been impressed by its significance ; the law of euphony 
undoubtedly plays a part, but the reason must rest upon deeper 
principles. The sight of certain names appeals to the ear like 
strains of music ; but they also evoke pictures to the eye, as if 
the name was the ghost of its owner, while we seem to see the 
shifting scenes summoned by these memories of sound. 

Passaconaway is certainly the most striking figure among our 
native chiefs, and all accounts agree in assigning to him the 



86 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 

highest place in war or peace. We pass in silence the old-wives 
tales concerning him, his superhuman strength, his miraculous 
cures, his astounding feats of divination, nor shall we add anoth- 
er to the list of seven dying speeches reported by as many sober 
histories. The authentic record is brief, his fame rests largely 
upon tradition, but that by his people he was esteemed great 
is the highest praise that can be accorded. He was born about 
1540 and was an old man when the Pilgrims landed. His old 
age was passed in poverty ; once lord of thousands of acres, he 
was compelled to beg the poor privilege of living upon a patch 
of intervale and two little islands in the Merrimack. Even these 
were taken from him by the puritan rulers of the godly Com- 
monwealth of Massachusetts. But the title-deeds to his vast 
possessions, wrung from him by white cunning, served to enrich 
the state, assisted in the spread of the gospel, and erected the 
cradle of liberty. 

It is known that Passaconavvay had four sons and two daugh- 
ters ; of the sons Wonolancet alone became famous in his time, 
and the Appalachian Club has given his name to a small moun- 
tain of the Sandwich range, which nestles like a pappoose under 
the towering shoulders of his sire. 

When the first white hunter or trapper actually settled at the 
falls of Amoskeag, Acteon was one hundred years old and was 
alive twenty years afterwards; in 1726' he was known as "Old 
Acteon," The terrible Pehaungun, " Beware of Me," was killed 
in a drunken frolic in 1732. He was then one hundred and 
twenty-four years old, and in his youth no white man had stepped 
upon the soil of Derryfield. It will serve but little purpose to 
recount a further list of long-forgotten names, to which nothing 
authentic can be added. Acteon has gone to the home of the 
Coosucks, Wahowa lives only in the classic yell of Dartmouth ; 
Watannumon rests by the Mikaseota, the bones of Paugus lie 
hidden in the white sands of Ossipee, and P.issaconavvay sleeps. 

Forty years ago a worn-out locomotive of the Northern Rail- 
way was sent to the junk-shop. Emblazoned letters upon the 



HISTORY OF DERRYFIELD. 8/ 

cab spelled the word "Tahanto." But this evokes no memories 
— it is a name but it is no more, and may as well be that of a 
cloud at midnight. The roar of iron and the rush of steam have 
supplanted the war-cry of the savage, but to-day the path of the 
shining steel follows northward the ancient trail to the home of 
the Arosagunticooks. 

FAMOUS SQUAWS. 

It is not from choice that we have spoken slightingly of the 
Nipmuck squaw. She may have filled her place, and there is no 
doubt that wherever her home it was humble. But she must be 
put without prejudice in the column of silent factors — passing 
away without sign. Record, journal, memoir, narrative or his- 
tory, shed little lustre upon her life or character ; fiction and 
poetry have alone befriended her. The eldest daughter of Pas- 
saconaway, by her marriage with the great Nobhovv, became a 
queen, but not even her name survives. Her younger sister, 
the fair Wetamoo, became the bride of a seven-syllabled son of 
Paugus and has been apotheosized in Whittier's verse. The 
wedded life of Wetamoo was not a happy one ; the youthful pair 
soon separated and she went back to the paternal tie-up in Der- 
ryfield, where she held court for many years as a grass-widow. 
These are the facts — the rest is fancy. 

After all, it is but a step from the dawn of tradition to our 
own times ; with a stroke ot the pen, the turning of a leaf, we 
pass to the century of base ball and cotton batting. 



CHAPTER IX. 

A SERMON ON FISH — THE TRANSITION PERIOD — EARLY OCCUPATION AND 

SETTLEMENT. 

All narrators recount the same fish-stories about the falls of 
Amoskeag. Great salmon and salmon-trout, shad, and even the 
sturgeon were plentiful, while ale-wives and lamprey-eels were 
so numerous as to impede navigation. Probably the most com- 
plete account of the manner of taking these fish is found in Pot- 
ter's History of Manchester. 

Early in the last century there was printed a curious sermon, 
the title-page of which is as follows : " Business and Diversion 
inoffensive to God, and necessary for the Comfort and Support 
of human Society. A Discourse utter'd in Part at Ammauskeeg- 
Falls, in the Fishing-Season. 1739. * * * Boston, Printed for 
S. Kneeland and T. Green in Queen-Street. Mdccxlim." 

The very quaint dedication is as follows: "To the Honora- 
ble Theodore Atkinson, Esq ; and Others the Worthy J-'atrons of 
the Fishing at Ammauskeeg. Gentlemen, It's not to signify to 
others that I pretend to an Intimacy with you or that I ever had 
a Share in those pleasant Diversions, which you have innocently 
indulged yourselves in, at the place where I have taken an an- 
nual Tour for some Years past. Yet I doubt not you'l Patronize 
my Intention, which is to sence against Bigottry and Supersti- 
tion. All Excess I disclaim, but pretend to be a Favorer of 
Religion, and of Labour as an Ingredient, and of Recreation as 
a necessary Attendant. I believe the Gentlemen who moved 
me to preach there in some odd Circumstances, and those at 
whose Desire and Charge this Discourse is Printed, (asking 
their Pardon if my Suggestion appear to them ungrounded ) were 
moved more from the uncommonness of the Thing, than any 
Thing singular in it. I have put off the Importunity for near 



HISTORY OF DERRYFIELD, 89 

these three years ; but least it should be, that I fear, it's being 
seen by the World, I submit it to sight and Censure, So little 
as I know you. Gentlemen, I heartily present it to you ; tho' all 
the Reason that I intend to offer is, that we have fished upon 
the same Banks. And tho' I know this will be no Bait, I am 
fond of being esteemed, in the Affairs of Fishing. Gentlemen, 
your most Obedient and very humble Servant. Fluviatulis 
Piscator." 

This sermon was by the Rev. Joseph Secombe, a minister of 
Kingston, New Hampshire, and was delivered before a mixed 
assemblage of hunters, trappers, fishermen, settlers and Indians. 
From the tone of the dedication it is evident that among his 
hearers were a number of civil or military officers in the service 
of King George the Second, together with other "gentry-folk," 
from Portsmouth, Ancient Dover, and Exeter. The "some odd 
Circumstances " alluded to probably had reference to preaching 
in the open air, perhaps to the mixed quality of the congrega- 
tion. The most significant statement, however, is that to these 
fishing-grounds he had "taken an annual Tour for some Years," 
and that the distinguished company, the Gentlemen of the ded- 
ication, had "fished upon the same Banks." This very clearly 
shows that the Amoskeag fisheries were not only known consid- 
erably earlier than the spring of 1739, but that the sport cifforded 
was more enticing than that offered at " Great Salmon Falls " in 
Somersworth or the falls of the Cocheco at Dover. Otherwise 
we should not hear of annual tours to Amoskeag, made by con- 
siderable parties, involving a journey of from thirty-five to forty 
miles through the wilderness. We shall be prepared to show 
in another place that the reputation of Amoskeag as a great 
hunting and fishing place was known to white men for much more 
than a hundred years before Secombe's sermon was delivered. 

Our preacher chose his text from John 21-3, "Simon Peter 
saith unto them, I go a Fishing." The discourse sets forth that 
the Apostles were fishers, and that " fishing is innocent as Busi- 
8 



90 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 

ness or Diversion " ; that " in fishing we are so far from delight- 
ing to see our Fellow-Creature die, that we hardly think whether 
they live. We have no more of a murderous Tho't in taking 
them, than in cutting up a Mess of Herbage." That God " has 
implanted in several Sorts of Fish, a strong Instinct to swim up 
these Rivers a vast Distance from the Sea. And is it not re- 
markable, that Rivers most incumbered with P'alls, are ever 
more full of Fish than others. Why are they Directed here .''" 
The preacher concludes from his ingenious reasoning that, " If 
they may be taken, any may make a Business of taking them 
for the Supply of others," and adds, " If I may eat them for Re- 
freshment, I may as well catch them, if this recreate and refresh 
me. It's as lawful to delight the Eye, as the Palate." 

The bulk and balance of the discourse is in the approved or- 
thodox style of that age, with frequent reference to scripture 
texts, citations from the church fathers, Latin quotations, etc. 
The whole sermon seems to have been inspired by its romantic 
surroundings, and to be addressed not so much to unconverted 
men but more to a fellow-feeling of sportmanship in the minds 
of his hearers. While the way was pointed to godly living, the 
pleasant invitation of foaming waters held fast his fancy, and in 
the sunlight the glint of leaping salmon made a present heaven 
stronger to allure than the pictured joys of a new but remote 
Jerusalem. 

Twenty-odd years ago certain enthusiastic citizens so exerted 
themselves as to move heaven and earth and the legislature, out 
of which agitation a fish-way was built at Amoskeag, to enable 
salmon and other fish so inclined to pass up to the headwaters, 
to deposit their spawn at their leisure and return unmolested to 
the sea. Time and money were expended, the fish protected by 
law, and everything was in readiness to revive the old time sport 
except the salmon and Massachusetts. It was said the fish-ways 
at Lowell and Lawrence were constructed, either in ignorance 
or by design, to prevent the passage of fish. Finally, after long 



HISTORY OF DERRYFIELD. 9I 

waiting, a few stray salmon, accompanied by a small colony of 
eels, actually made their way to the foot of Amoskeag falls and 
possibly some passed up the fish-way. Great things were hoped 
but never realized ; each spring the number grew less, and in a 
few years entirely ceased. The fish-way is falling to pieces with 
rot, the fish commissioners of two great states catch nothing but 
their salary, and the dream is over. The real clifificulty, however, 
was not so much in the way as in the water; this had become 
so contaminated by the wash and refuse of mills and the sewer- 
age of cities that fish would not enter a stream loaded with saw- 
dust, colored with dye-stuffs, and flavored with extract of gar- 
bage and gas-works. As with felled forests game-animals and 
birds have departed, so from our polluted streams the noble sal- 
mon has disappeared ; and these are among the sorry penalties 
exacted in exchange for calico and gingham. 

THE TRANSITION PERIOD. 

Not the least curious and interesting portion of the early his- 
tory of Derryfield is the transition period — that stretch of time 
during which the white man appeared while the Indian had not 
yet departed. For the sole purpose of setting forth in orderly 
sequence the procession of events leading to permanent settle- 
ments in North America, we introduce the following dates as 
landmarks: The Cabots, under Henry VII, in 1497, seventeen 
months before Columbus touched the mainland of America ; 
Verazzano, 1524; Cartier, 1534. This is undoubtedly the date 
of the first but not of the first permanent settlement. But the 
fisheries at Newfoundland had in the meantime become known. 
Parkman says there is strong evidence that the trade began as 
early as 1504, and it is well established that in 15 17 Spanish, 
French and Portuguese vessels were engaged in it ; he adds that 
from 1527 the Newfoundland fishery was never abandoned. In 
1578 more than three hundred and fifty vessels visited the banks, 
and in 1607 there was an old French fisherman at Canseau who 



92 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 

had sailed thither for forty-two successive years. We pass rap- 
idly to De Monts, at Nova Scotia in 1604, wintering with the 
colony at St. Croix. During that year he wrote from the banks 
of the St. Lawrence, "The Indians tell us of a beautiful river 
far to the south, which they call the Merrimack." The dream 
of this river haunted him, and in 1605 he accompanied Cham- 
plain on a voyage of discovery southward along the coast. In 
that year we find him at the Isles of Shoals and Portsmouth har- 
bor. Passing down the coast they discovered the Merrimack, 
which Champlain named "La Riviere du Gas," (duGuast) in 
honor of De Monts. In 161 1 the Jesuits came, to rescue the 
perishing souls of the natives, and incidentally to become pro- 
prietors of "the greater part of the future United States and 
British Provinces." To quote the text of Parkman, "On the 
banks of James River was a nest of woe-begone Englishmen, a 
handful of Dutch fur-traders at the mouth of the Hudson, and 
a few shivering Frenchmen among the snow-drifts of Arcadia; 
while deep within the wild monotony of desolation, on the icy 
verge of the great northern river, the hand of Champlain upheld 
the fleur-de-lis on the rock of Quebec." 

In this brief recount of years we have almost unconsciously 
drawn the lines of a historical triangulation, with New Hamp- 
shire at the centre. The converging lines, in the years imme- 
diately following, drew toward us from three cardinal points — 
south, east, and north. Nearly a full quarter-century elapsed 
between the earliest white settlements at Quebec and Montreal 
and that of the Plymouth colony in 1620 ; this was separated by 
thirteen years from the date of the Popham colony at the mouth 
of the Kennebec, in 1607, while the Piscataqua settlement in 
1623 closely followed that at Plymouth. The whole time em- 
braced between 1600 and 1750 —a round century and a half — 
constituted this great transition period from barbarity to civili- 
zation. It is the task of the careful student of the past to illus- 
trate the striking details, at once picturesque and shameless, of 
this border-land of American history. 



HISTORY OF DERRYFIELD. 93 

OCCUPATION AND SETTLEMENT. 

In the century preceding the first settlement upon the soil of 
New Hampshire numerous attempts at colonization had met 
with failure, and it will have been seen that the first permanent 
settlements, made respectively by the French, Dutch and Eng- 
lish, were nearly contemporaneous. It is definitely known that 
there were not less than four great through Indian trails leading 
from points upon the coast to the country of the St. Lawrence. 
One of these was from Portsmouth up the Salmon F'alls valley, 
passing to the east of Winnepesauke, west of Ossipee, and so 
northerly through the Pequauket region, leaving the White 
Hills to the left. This was the line of subsequent white exten- 
sion from Exeter and Dover. The great Nipmuck trail followed 
the Merrimack, Pemigewasset and Baker River valleys, passing 
Moosilauke on the right, over Warren summit, and thence up the 
valley of the Connecticut. This was likewise the line followed 
by the stream of settlement from Massachusetts. These con- 
spicuous routes, if they did not coalesque, were joined here and 
there by cross-country trails, one of these being from Ancient 
Dover, through old Chester to Amoskeag, to which further ref- 
erence will be made. 

These old Indian ways were probably first trodden by the feet 
of French explorers, nearly if not quite three centuries ago, 
accompanied by Indian guides from Quebec, and their footsteps 
were followed northward a few years later by the English. The 
Pilgrim father played the double rdle of Puritan and pioneer ; 
while austere and saintly, he was adventurous and daring. The 
wilderness had no terrors and the sea no dangers to deter the 
hearts of oak who in the wake of the Mayflower settlers every- 
where pushed on beyond the Plymouth homesteads. Without 
guide or compass they followed the fertile valleys ranging to the 
north, camping only when arrested by the gloom of night. Be- 
side the flowing waters each hunter halted where he wished and 
chose his home. 



94 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 

There was another and darker side to the Puritan character. 
He was not only selfish but greedy ; compelled to be prudent, 
he became stingy. In a trade with his neighbor he stretched 
the tenth commandment and for the time being forgot the other 
nine. It was small wonder that the rights of savages weighed 
little in the presence of his wants, which he persuaded himself 
were necessities. It soon came to pass that bloody reprisals 
followed Indian cruelty and outrage, the sole answer which a 
barbarous people could make to civilized treachery. The wasp 
did not sting until the nest was ravaged ; smarting with pain, in 
hot revenge the spoiler trampled to death those whom he him- 
self had driven to madness and revclt. 

In a review of the first contact of the whites with the Indians, 
and by an impartial consensus of the records, the whole story of 
that contact, with scarcely an exception, is dishonorable to the 
whites. Bad faith and broken promises, advantage gained by 
guile and dishonest diplomacy, were followed by encroachment 
and dispossession. Through the centuries which have inter- 
vened our children have been taught to revere the rugged vir- 
tues of their Puritan ancestors ; poetry and romance, even the 
historic page, has surrounded them with a shining aureola of 
sanctity, but in this era of research and impartial scholarship an 
awakened national conscience sees them beneath ihe deceitful 
glamour of distance clothed upon with the old frailties of human- 
ity. Again we witness the old paradox of saint and sinner ; the 
one erects a church, but for convenience of the other "the devil 
builds a chapel hardby." 

Without a single exception, so far as disclosed by the record, 
every permanent settlement in New Hampshire was preceded 
by an actual or quasi-occupation. This took various forms ; the 
territory afterwards formed into townships was early overrun 
with hunters, trappers, fishers, adventurers of all sorts ; some of 
these were employed by French companies in Canada, some by 
the Dutch traders of New Netherland. Others came from the 



HISTORY OF DERRYFIELD. 95 

Massachusetts colony, and many from the settlements at Ports- 
mouth or Dover. The wilderness was threaded with lines of 
traps, running to and from depots of supplies, while to provide 
necessary storage for fur or other commodities bark-cabins and 
log-houses were built here and there at points of convenience. 
With the anival of each vessel from the old world, there came 
an accession of rough and turbulent spirits, many with nothing 
to lose and all inspired by the hope of gain. Fabulous stories 
of wealth and exaggerated accounts of mineral treasures found 
ready acceptance, and the decks of vessels clearing for New 
England were crowded with saints and swash-bucklers, dissen- 
ters and desperadoes. To these, indiscriminately, some of our 
genealogical cranks are crazy to trace their ancestry. 

Along all the avenues of exploration, on sea or land, by way 
of lake or river, the wilderness was traversed ; some merely in- 
spired by the strong lust of adventure, some inflamed by the 
thirst for gold, others more soberly in search of homes. Out of 
these early exploitations came the first definite information of 
the character and topography of New England. Toiling through 
dense forests, the sudden sight of a mountain was as welcome as 
the first glimpse of land to the mariner, and afforded a landmark 
to direct his steps. One by one these great natural boundary 
marks were at least approximately located, lakes were plotted, 
and the course of rivers roughly indicated, sketched perhaps up- 
on birch-bark maps with pencils of coal. Sometimes accompan- 
ied by friendly Indian guides, familiar with the territory, the 
way was made easier; here a mountain or height of land, there 
a swamp or thicket was avoided ; here he was led past a broad 
lake or conducted to river shallows where the stream offered a 
fording place. One by one names were given to mountains, 
rivers and lakes, or other natural features, and it is one of the 
astonishing facts of the time that these early pioneers gener- 
ally accepted without question the names given by the Indians, 
and that so many of these survive. 



96 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 

It is somewhat difficult for us to understand and appreciate the 
tremendous difficulties to be overcome, the hardship and priva- 
tion encountered, and the resolute courage required to face the 
dangers that beset the first settlers, even in times of peace. The 
mere exhibition of physical strength and endurance almost sur- 
passes belief. Aside from the inseparable musket and hunting- 
knife, powder-horn and shot, an axe or hatchet was always a part 
of the outfit ; to these was frequently added a pack of blankets, 
a pot or frying-pan, and other utensils and tools, the combined 
weight of which was often fifty or more pounds. In summer 
the pack was sometimes slung on poles, between two sets of 
stalwart shoulders, or in winter drawn upon sledges, and the 
varied yield of the chase or the treasures of traps were trans- 
ported in like manner. 

Further evidence of this early occupation and settlement will 
be considered in the next and concluding part of the series, to 
which will be added some sketches of home-life, churches and 
schools, the whole to conclude with an account of the rise, de- 
cline and fall of the Derryfield Social Library. These contribu- 
tions will not at present bring the record of events later than 
the first quarter of the present century. 



(^optributiops 



TO THE 



JHistoryof Old Derryfield, 



BY WILLIAM ELLERY MOORE. 



PART FIFTH. 
PRICE TWENTY-FIVE CENTS. 



47546^ 



CONTRIBUTIONS 



TO THE 



HISTORY OF DERRYFIELD, 

NEW HAMPSHIRE. 

OCCUPATION AND SETTLEMENTS. 



EARLY OCCUPATION AND FIRST SETTLEMENTS CONTINUED — HOME LIFE- 

CHUKCHES, SCHOOLS, ETC. — THE DERRYFIELD SOCIAL LIBRARY — 

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION. 



BY WILLIAM E. MOORE. 



A PAPER READ BEFORE THE 



MANCHESTER HISTORIC ASSOCIATION. 



PART V. 



PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOR. 



PRICE TWENTY-FIVE CENTS. 






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1897. 



CONTRIBUTIONS 

TO THE 

HISTORY OF DERRYFIELD 

BY WILLIAM E. MOORE. 



CHAPTER X. 

EARLY OCCUPATION AND SETTLEMENT CONCLUDED. 

In the preceding chapter the attempt was made to present a 
long-disrance view of the times preceding and immediately fol- 
lowing the first permanent settlements in New England. Con- 
tinuing the inquiry it will be our endeavor to ascertain and set 
forth in order the dates of the first authorized expeditions into 
New Hampshire. 

The first patent granted by the London Company to the May- 
flower Pilgrims was applied for in 1617 and granted in 1619. 
Landing and luncheon over, like cats in strange garrets, these 
colonists sent out exploring parties in every direction, and were 
not long in discovering the Merrimack, which they approached 
in the neighborhood of Haverhill, the course of the river at that 
point being nearly due east. Disregarding an earlier patent of 
1606, under which some abortive attempts at colonization took 
place, we come next to the Gorges and Mason patent of 1620, 
superseded in 162 1 by what was then known as the " Mariana" 
grant. It is only necessary for our purpose to remember that 
the grantors were so ignorant of the territory granted that they 
had supposed the east and west course of the Merrimack contin- 
ued to its source, which was thought to be Lake Champlain. In 



100 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 

1622, however, another patent to Gorges and Mason conveyed 
what was known as the Laconia grant, including land "situated 
between the Rivers of Merrimack and Sagadehock, extending 
back to the great lakes and rivers of Canada." Under this last 
grant settlements were simultaneously made at Portsmouth and 
Dover Neck, in the spring of 1623. In March, 1627, a grant to 
Henry Roswell conveyed "the territory between a line running 
from the Atlantic ocean three miles south of the mouth of the 
Charles River, and every part thereof, and a line extending from 
the Atlantic ocean, three miles north of the Merrimack river and 
every part thereof." How far inland this great paralellogram 
extended from the sea no one knew, and at that time no one be- 
lieved, not even the grantees, that the northern limit extended 
more than three miles beyond an east and west line projected 
from Newburyport to Haverhill. The last fatal misconception 
was the source of much subsequent trouble and disagreement, 
the last echo of which did not die for two hundred and seventy 
years, when the boundary line between New Hampshire and 
Massachusetts was finally and definitely agreed upon — in favor 
of Massachusetts. 

Up to this time every grant and patent, and all the territory 
held or claimed to be held under them, as well as every occupa- 
tion and settlement, were made in entire disregard of the right 
or ownership of the Indians to any of the territory in question. 
In the spring of 1629, however, the famous Wheelwright deed 
was executed by Passaconaway and three other owners of the 
soil in fee simple, conveying an extensive tract of land for a con- 
consideration of ten or twelve pounds in lawful money. This 
deed was subsequently pronounced a forgery, but no sufificient 
proof has been produced to show that it was not a genuine con- 
veyance. Our interest in the question is mainly historical and 
especially in the local trend of the northerly line, described in 
the instrument as passing through the present towns of Straf- 
ford, Northwood, Deerfield, Candia, Hooksett and Manchester, 



HISTORY OF DERRYFIELD. lOI 

thus covering the whole of our title to Derryfield and the lands 
immediately adjoining. It is of further interest to remember 
that the identical territory thus acquired by purchase under this 
deed was afterwards, in November of the same year, granted to 
Mason by the "Council of Plymouth," at his request. No con- 
sideration was mentioned, but the obvious inference is, in the 
light of all the known subsequent facts, that this new grant was 
designed not only to repudiate the Passaconaway deed but to 
forever disallow an Indian claim of ownership anywhere. Thus 
early did these god-fearing and land-loving people of Massachu- 
setts covet the soil, and from that time on they grabbed what 
was in sight and claimed the remainder. 

In the meantime the Roswell patent of 1627 had been merged 
in an exclusive and inclusive charter from King George to the 
"Governor and Company of the Massachusetts Bay in New 
England." It is scarcely necessary to explain that this charter 
included Boston. About this time the authorities discovered 
what had long been known to hunters and rangers in the north 
country that the Merrimack made a great right-angled bend at 
Dracut and thereafter ran northerly, whereupon not only their 
maps but the plan of possession was modified accordingly, and 
a new boom of geographical discovery and exploration was born. 
Scouts and surveyors were at once privately commissioned to 
spy out the land and report. Some years passed, during which 
a number of expeditions were quietly set on foot to explore the 
country in various directions, some of which followed the coast, 
some the Merrimack and others the Connecticut valley. 

From these various sources of information the Massachusetts 
Bay people took their cue, and in 1638 openly sent out "a com- 
mittee to find out the most northerly part of the Merrimack 
River." The committee rejDorted that "some part of it above 
Penacook was more northerly than forty-three and a half de- 
grees." This means literally, allowance for error considered, 
that upon reaching Franklin the committee took the Pemige- 



102 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 

wasset branch, which they followed beyond Plymouth and past 
Baker river to the neighborhood of Woodstock. Here they 
would naturally halt for two reasons : First, the Pemigewasset 
near this point divides into a net-work of headwater streams, of 
which the East Branch, Hancook, and Franconia are the chief. 
Second, the explorers would find themselves in a veritable cul 
de sac formed by the mountains ; on the right the water-shed of 
Sawyer and Swift rivers, tributaries of the Saco ; on the left the 
water-shed of Baker river, and in front the steep dividing crest, 
down whose northern slope the Wild Ammonusuc tears down 
to the Connecticut. On the other hand the committee may 
have followed the valley of Baker river to Warren. Here they 
would have been surrounded by a circular sweep of mountains, 
among them Mt. Carr, Mt. Kineo and Moosilauke ; it is likely 
the way by Baker river would be chosen, rather than that of the 
Pemigewasset, as the old Indian trail followed the former. On 
the other hand they must have halted before reaching the height 
of land at Warren summit ; had they climbed to this point they 
would have seen the white foam of trout-streams tumbling down 
toward the north, might have caught glimpses of the frightful 
precipice of Owl's Head, and could not have failed to see spread 
before them the broad valley of the Connecticut, with the great 
ox-bow in Haverhill. None of these things were alluded to in 
the report of the 1638 committee. It is equally certain they did 
not follow the Winnepesauke, since the lake would have been 
encountered before the parallel of 43/^° was reached, but the 
lake is likewise unmentioned. So that we are forced to con- 
clude either that this committee followed the Pemigewasset, 
that they were themselves mistaken as to the distance traversed 
or that they made a false report. 

In 1639 another committee was sent "to find out the north- 
ernmost part of Merrimack river." This committee must have 
made a lame and inconclusive survey, for they established the 
line at a great pine tree three miles north of the junction of the 
Pemigewasset and Winnepesauke. 



HISTORY OF DERRYFIELD. IO3 

Early in 1652 still another commission was appointed by the 
General Court of Massachusetts, to establish the north head of 
the Merrimack, and on the first of August, 1652, it was formally 
fixed at 43° 40' 12" — namely, at the outlet of Winnepesauke, 
with an allowance of three miles more north, " wch run into the 
Lake." Thus, with rare forecast, the surveyors drove all other 
contrary-thinking people into deep water. This was the famous 
" Endicott Rock" expedition, concerning which there has been 
much misdirected enthusiasm. Upon the soil of the Bay Slate 
the shaft at Bunker Hill bears witness to the unselfish heroism 
and self-sacrifice of the sons of New Hampshire ; the monument 
at the Wiers commemorates an act of Puritan greed and perfidy, 
committed against men of their own blood and lineage. The 
heirs of Mason, the assigns of Gorges, the possessors by pur- 
chase, and every claim of occupancy whatsoever was for years 
stubbornly denied by Massachusetts. Forced construction of 
charters, chicanery, indirection, falsehood and fraud failing to 
be sufficient, the General Court resorted to threats of force, in 
turn followed by arrest or banishment. The whole history of 
this usurpation, however, is too black to be painted. 

All of these expeditions, with others set on foot by other par- 
ties in interest, passed directly through Derryfield and around 
Amoskeag Falls ; and yet we are soberly told that these were 
first discovered in 1739, a hundred years later than the excur- 
sion of the first Massachusetts committee. 

We should be glad to believe that the Apostle Eliot preached 
and taught at Amoskeag. Potter labors to show that he came 
here by invitation of Passaconaway a little later than 1650, and 
asserts that here were a number of praying Indians who were 
preached and prayed to, and that schools for the youth were also 
established. In 1648 Eliot wrote, with undoubted reference to 
Amoskeag, " There is another great fishing place about three 
score miles from us, whether I intend (God willing) to go next 
spring." In 1649 he again writes, " I had and still have a great 



I04 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 

desire to go to a great fishing place, Namaske, upon the Merri- 
mack river." In the same letter he adds, " But in the spring 
when I should have gone, I was not well, so that I saw the Lord 
prevented me of that journey." There is no direct evidence that 
Eliot ever carried out his intention, or that he came farther in 
this direction than Nashua. But it is important to note this 
cumulative evidence that Amoskeag was not only thus early 
known, but that it had been long familiarly known as a great 
fishing place. 

Let us now briefly trace the course of advancing settlements 
in this direction from Massachusetts. Many towns contiguous 
to Boston were early settled, several of which, like Rehoboth, 
embraced extensive tracts afterwards formed into three or more 
townships. The date of settlement is given for Beverly, 1630; 
Andover, 1634; Newburyport, 1633; Salisbury, 1639; Haver- 
hill, 1640, and Dunstable in 1659. A considerable number of 
other towns in Massachusetts were settled between the latter 
date and 1700, but few in southern New Hampshire. This was 
mainly owing to the fact that comparatively few emigrants came 
to New England during the period following 1640, and it is said 
that for a century and a quarter thereafter more people went 
back to England than came hither. These facts have been too 
often overlooked by historical students, who found it diflficult to 
account for the delay in making settlements in this part of New 
England. The rigor of the climate, the fear of wild beasts and 
Indians, even necessary hardship and privation, had less effect 
in checking the tide of immigration than the dis'.llusion of the 
dream of wealth in which many of the earlier adventurers had 
indulged. The golden bui)ble had been pricked, no longer com- 
pelling by its false and glittering allurements. 

Old Dunstable, a portion of which was settled as early as 1659, 
embraced more than two hundred square miles, and out of this 
seven entire townships and parts of several others were subse- 
quently carved. Litchfield was one of these, where a claim of 
settlement is made as early as 1656. 



HISTORY OF DEKRYFIELD. 10$ 

Following the list of towns referred to above we find Pelham, 
1721 ; Amherst, 1728; Goffstown and Bedford, 1733, and Derry 
and Londonderry, 17 19. 

Looking to the east we see the settlers creeping toward us 
in much the same order, from Exeter and Dover. From these 
towns the people came to the Merrimack valley and became ac- 
quainted with its fisheries long before 1650. As to this western 
extension of our sea-coast towns most historians begin with the 
records and not with the facts. They agree in assigning 1719 
as the date of settling the "Chestnutt Country," afterwards 
" Walnut Hill," " Cheshire," and finally Chester. Charles Bell's 
notes are extremely valuable, although written when he was but 
eighteen years of age. He died young, as the editor's preface 
naively says, "at the early age of 29^ years," and in his death 
the state lost a born historian. The courts have always claimed 
that records make the best witnesses — but there are others — 
and although we are historically limited to 17 19 we shall attempt 
to project the reverted eye to an earlier date. For some years 
many towns not included in Ancient Dover were within the lim- 
its of Exeter, and those not in either were included in Chester, 
which embraced Epping, Raymond, Candia, Auburn, Hooksett, 
and parts of other territory known to the geography of guess- 
work. The early surveyors ran lines hither and yon, forcing a 
balance among the figures read from their rickety transits, but 
being always careful to add, include and reckon enough, with an 
extra allowance for error. So these early surveys, reinforced by 
conjecture, allotted the whole woodland acreage about us, with 
the exception of Derryficld, which was providentially reserved 
for greater things. 

Here we are impertinent enough to inquire, Why not Derry- 
field .'' Let these four points be remembered : That the first step 
was discovery, the second occupation, the third either grant and 
survey or survey and grant as it might happen, and fourth an 
actual settlement. In the case of Derryfield the surveyors hes- 



I06 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 

itated and finally halted, not because they were weary nor at the 
command of conscience, nor elsewise by any claim of prior grant 
or survey, but because they found the soil occupied and actual 
settlers in possession. This fact alone strongly reinforces our 
claim that the accepted dates must be revised and put back to 
a time certainly not later than the year 1700 and undoubtedly 
much earlier, 

A society was formed in 1719 "for settling the Chestnutt 
country." The members were familiar with the land they de- 
sired to erect into a township, for they had hunted and fished in 
it for years and had eaten of its nuts. The record recites that 
a previous petition had been preferred in the autumn of 17 18, 
by virtue of which the petitioners claimed some rights, setting 
forth that they had "been at a vast expense of blood and treas- 
ure to maintain the same against the enemy." No precise de- 
scription is given of the enemy, but it was intended that those 
to whom they ever prayed should believe them to be Indians, 
though we are inclined to think them certain down-country peo- 
ple from Haverhill, who then claimed to have an Indian deed to 
the whole territory. In any event nothing is more certain than 
the fact that a considerable number of hunters, trappers, fisher- 
men and scouts, if not actual settlers, had ranged back and forth 
for years before the society was formed and that the organiza- 
tion was only a step taken to keep what they already had, and 
at the very least to prevent others from getting it. 

There was at this time and had been from time immemorial 
what was known far and wide as the "Pennacook Path," which 
ran all the way from Exeter through Chester, passing over the 
east shoulder of Mine Hill and so on by "Jake Chase his house," 
to the present highway in Auburn ; thence, skirting the Auburn 
shore to Sucker Village, the trail turned west, making a detour 
northward around the Merrill brook swamp, and again easterly, 
leaving the Massabesic to the south, thence to Amoskeag and 
by way of the Merrimack valley to Concord. We are informed 
that the nearer easterly section of this path ran through " Sam 



HISTORY OF DERRYFIELD. 10/ 

Bell's orchard," and down over Wilson Hill south of the poor- 
farm to the old falls road. There was a similar path to King- 
ston, another to Haverhill by way of Tyngsborough. At about 
the same date the bridge over Exeter river was only passable 
for foot-passengers or riders in single file, but was made "con- 
venient for carts " in 1720. It is said the incorporators of old 
Chester had no shadow of right upon which to base their peti- 
tion, which was only granted by preference over earlier combin- 
ations, although the secretary credited himself with five shillings 
for a "copy of an Indian deed." This was one of the pretences 
early employed by our forefathers, as it was an easy matter to 
induce any Indian under the seduction of Jamaica rum to affix 
his mark to a deed or any number of them, and the wily settlers 
were quick to employ these opportunities. 

That the soil of Chester was occupied by actual settlers long 
before 1719 is sufficiently shown by the action of the new pro- 
prietors at their first meeting, when the selectmen were empow- 
ered to eject all trespassers upon the land covered by Governor 
Shute's charter, and a committee was subsequently chosen for 
the same purpose. 

In August, 1737, Chester had a visit from Goverror Belcher, 
and in the earliest account of his tour we read that " His Excel- 
lency was much pleased with the fine soil of Chester, the extra- 
ordinary improvements at Derry, and the mighty fall at Skeag." 
This was two years before the date of Secombe's famous sermon 
at the falls, and conclusively shows that even at that date there 
were good bridle-paths from Portsmouth to Amoskeag and from 
the falls to Derry. As a matter of fact nearly every part of the 
territory under consideration was much better known and easier 
of access than the historians would have us believe. 

In May, 1739, John McMurphy was granted a privilege to 
build a grist-mill at " Massabesic River," below the great fall, 
"provided said McMurphy shall not stop or impede the course 
of the fish up the said river, but shall and will leave, continue 
and make sufficient passage for that purpose." This allusion 



I08 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 

to " great falls " upon what we now know as Cohas Brook very 
clearly indicates that a much heavier volume of water commonly 
fiowed from the lake at that date than has been known for two 
generations. The cause of the present greatly decreased and 
diminishing flow is obviously to be attributed to the disappear- 
ance of the great forests. The object of this old provision for a 
fish way was to protect the ale-wives in their run to the lake, as 
they furnished a considerable food-supply to the settlers. Laws 
were also passed to prevent the killing of deer and "Deer In- 
spectors " were duly appointed. On the other hand a bounty of 
twenty shillings was offered for each head of "a full-grown 
wolfe." In this year more than twenty wolves were killed in 
Chester and Derryfield, of which John Stark killed two. 

In 1745 a man by the name of Bunten was killed by Indians 
in Hooksett, He was from Pelham and on his way to Penacook, 
following the old path to which reference has been made. 

The 1719 Chester petition before referred to was "signed by 
about 100 hand," and modestly asked for a tract " on the east to 
Kingston and Exeter, on the south to Haverhill, and on the 
West and North to ye woods." This elastic piece of " waiste 
land," originally intended to be eight miles square, was after- 
wards increased to ten and finally to fourteen, which was untler 
the limit, and extended from the Exeter line westerly to the 
Merrimack north of the Derryfield reservation. This latter ap- 
pears to have been first known as Harrytown or Henrysburg, 
and originally consisted of about eight square miles, but in 175 1 
eighteen square miles from Chester and nine from Londonderry 
were added. 

At various dates between 1639 and 1733 — the Massachusetts 
century of dishonor — that commonwealth made an extensive 
series of land grants in the disputed northern territory, ranging 
as far north as Lake Winnepesauke. These gr.mts were of two 
classes, those given to friends and supporters of her claims and 
those made to soldiers. It was well understood that none others 



HISTORY OF DERRYFIELD. IO9 

need apply. Many of the grants issued to soldiers who had en- 
gaged in the old French and Indian wars were hastily made, the 
bounds illy defined and the land hard to locate. Whole town- 
ships were granted by guesswork. Of these the record remains 
as to Bow, Todds-Town, Beverly-Canada and Bakerstown. Of 
other early grants known to have been made one was of a part 
of Derryfield, but the records are lost, and we are inclined to 
believe this to have been the original Harrytown grant. The 
charter for Derryfield was not issued till 175 1, and did not even 
then include that part of old Harrytown near Martin's Ferry, 
which was added later. The evidence as to Bow and Dunbar- 
ton is conclusive and the lines stand. Some grants were early 
settled while others were not ; but the Derryfield grantees came 
without delay, the fishery alone presenting the principal induce- 
ment, much of the soil being very poor. 

Not a few towns changed names from three to si.x times in ten 
years, were granted and regranted to differing parties, lines and 
bounds over-ran, fell short or conflicted, and order only came 
after the Revolution, when the original claimants, like Gridley, 
had died out of court and chancery. The history of those old 
claims and counter-claims, though full of stirring incidents, can 
never be written ; many a settler defended his homestead gun 
in hand against the emissaries of the Great and General Court 
of Massachusetts, and his dogs were trained to discover in the 
wind the smell of Boston. In the general absence of fences, cat- 
tle and hogs ranged at long and at large, and we read of farmers 
who turned out cows to graze in Haverhill and the next day 
found them in Hooksett. Thus here and there are caught brief 
glimpses projected upon the scene by the side-lights of history. 
The most patient research and scholarship is in our day engaged 
in unravelling the tangled threads of our early colonial annals, 
and in this task any contribution, however slight, must be of 
value, and to this end we have labored. 

The date of the settlement of Salisbury, for instance, is given 
as 1748, and yet it is traditional that as many as eight families 



no CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 

resided in the township before that year, the " Mink Hills " hav- 
ing been known and named in 1737, and Kearsarge certainly as 
early as 1657. A similar state of facts is generally true of all 
the earlier townships. 

Nutfield gives a good example of historical uncertainty, the 
probable occupation ranging from 1629 to 17 19, the latter date 
alone standing for settlement. But it is known that not less 
than four Indian deeds previously passed to the whole or a por- 
tion of that territory, one of which from Indian John was dated 
March, 1701. In one deed the description recites "a certain 
tract of land about thirty miles square, to run from the Merri- 
mack river eastward and so up the country." In another the 
" northerly bound was the westerly part of Oyster river, which 
is about four miles northerly beyond Lampereele river." As 
Oyster river is in Durham and the Lamprey in Raymond it is 
easy to see the Nutfield people had a good margin. 

Finally, the first presence of white men in Derryfield must be 
put not later than 1636, the date of a probable survey by Bur- 
det, under instructions from Governor Winthrop, carried out by 
Captain Wiggin, and even at that time the route was familiar to 
hunters and scouts, to which the record adds "artists," which 
term was probably intended to mean surveyors. Waldron's 
testimony is conclusive as to this point. Peter Weare says that 
since 1637 he had "in the same way become familiar with the 
same region," he having " oftentimes travelled the country," and 
"some of the natives always with him." He adds that he had 
been on "a great mountain north of Lake VVinnipicioket." All 
these expeditions went up the Merrimack because that river was 
the bone of contention, and without doubt followed and contrib- 
uted to make the famous " Pennacook Path." We find also the 
record of Woodward and Stratton's survey in 1638, of Wood- 
ward, Howlet, Jacob Clarke and Manning, in 1639, and after 
that a deluge of expeditions by opposing factions. Some of these 
long-lost records may yet be brought to light. 



HISTORY OF DERRYFIELD. Ill 

The earliest map of the Merrimack river from its source to its 
mouth is also the latest discovered, but is unfortunately without 
dale. It is finely drawn and certainly the work of an "artist." 
The " plot " gives the photography of the river, with lakes and 
mountains on either side. It shows the islands, bends and falls ; 
the Uncanoonucks, Massabesic Lake and Amoskeag Falls are 
laid down, and the Suncook river is put where it belongs. The 
work is of such a character that the whole valley from Dun- 
stable to Penacook is seen to have been pictured from an actual 
survey, probably the first undertaken by competent hands. 

We cannot now further prolong our researches in this field of 
inquiry. We have purposely abandoned the beaten route hith- 
erto followed by historians, and have hazarded an attempt to 
revise some of their conclusions by methods of historical deduc- 
tion. Wherever possible ascertained dates have been assigned, 
and whenever by reasonable inference these were found to be 
misleading the known facts have been compared and the logical 
interpretation followed. In concluding our pictures of the past 
we may be pardoned for renewing the suggestion that we claim 
for them nothing not included in the title chosen, and that they 
pretend to be no more than contributions. Should these serve 
to awaken a new dawn of inquiry and rouse the spirit of research 
the writer will be well contented. 



CHAPTER XI. 

HOME LIFE, CHURCHES AND SCHOOLS — THE DERRYFIELD SOCIAL LIBRARY 
— SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION. 

The home life of the first settlers of Derryfield, so far as the 
direct testimony can be relied upon, was in marked contrast to 
that of most New England settlements, and outwardly presented 
few characteristic Puritan features. All accounts agree in pro- 
nouncing them generally a rough lot, much more closely resem- 
bling the frontiermen of our own day than the traditional relig- 
ious community of that age. The negative evidence as to this 
point is still stronger, as the record discloses no movement or 
organized effort to provide for preaching or religious teaching of 
any sort whatever ; public means of grace and an active spread 
of the gospel were of so little impt)rtance as utterly to escape 
the notice of local historians. If gospel privileges were enjoyed 
the opportunities were wide apart. There were no settled min- 
isters, no stated supply, and occasional preaching was as rare as 
earthquakes. Before Secombe's salmon-sermon in 1739 it is not 
certainly known that any religious exercise or exhortation what- 
ever took place within the limits of Derryfield, nor for rather 
more than a quarter of a century thereafter. 

The rehgious record — or non-record — would be amusing if it 
were not distinctly disgraceful. Potter says McDowell probably 
preached here now and then before 1754, in which year the 
town voted to build a meeting house, but this was the next year 
reconsidered. In 1758 the frame was raised and the building 
boarded and shingled in 1759, though still without underpinning 
and having but one door, one layer of rough flooring and no 
pews, and this skeleton of the visible church was then badly in 
need of repairs. Fifteen years later, though some preaching in- 
tervened and the Rev. George Gilmore was called, the call was 
not answered, and the ravages of decay continued to affect both 
God's house and people. 



HISTORY OF DERRYFIELD. II3 

The Revolution now became matter of concern to the exclus- 
ion of a multitude of interests ; there was no Sunday for soldiers 
or citizens, and the cause of Zion languished. In 1780 an effort 
to repair the building failed, three years later the repairs were 
not completed, and this state of affairs continued without better- 
ment until 1790, at which time the "pew-ground" of the main 
floor was sold at public auction, and the gallery area similarly 
disposed of three years later. But the gallery pews were never 
built and no part of the house' ever finished. In the thirty-five 
years which had elapsed the progress of decay had outstripped 
the process of repair. Potter says, "The house was fit for a 
place of worship at no time, but in summer and of a fair day it 
answered better than a barn." The old, weather-beaten struc- 
ture is well remembered by the writer, and remained in a dilap- 
idated condition in Hallsville till 1853, when it was sold, moved 
a short distance, and converted into a dwelling-house block, 
which is still standing. 

Throughout this entire period we hear next to nothing about 
schools. It is said there were none in Derryfield before or dur- 
ing the Revolution, and Dr. Wallace asserts that no steps pro- 
ductive of actual results were taken until some years later than 
1788, and adds that "for nearly a century after the settlement 
of the town there was neither lawyer, physician or minister 
among its permanent inhabitants." It is certain there was no 
schoolhouse untill 1795, and even that was built by private sub- 
scription, none being built by vote of the town earlier than the 
year 1798, possibly later. 

In such a community the morals of the people must have kept 
pace with their ignorance and inattention to godliness. The 
pursuits of fishing, hunting and river-rafting were not calculated 
to favor a devout frame of mind, and the conventional restraints 
of the church were lacking. A considerable number of the ear- 
lier inhabitants were rollicking, devil-may-care roysterers, who 
spent their spare time in wresting, bowling, or pitching horse- 
10 



ii4 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 

shoes for pennies, accompanied with a daily diet of rum. The 
records show frequent brawls and fighting, sometimes among 
themselves, sometimes with kindred spirits from Londonderry, 
who were not averse to liquor at home or abroad. The annual 
reproduction of Donnybrook Fair by our Scotch-Irish neighbors 
included the more lively features of its old-world model. The 
reverend historian of Londonderry, with an unusual devotion to 
truth, says that this fair " proved a moral nuisance, attracting 
chiefly the more corrupt portion of the community and exhibit- 
ing for successive days in each year scenes of vice and folly in 
some of their worst forms." These fairs were attended by large 
delegations of the rougher element of Derryfield. Our limits 
permit us to give no more than the setting and outline of the 
picture ; details are not difficult to be supplied, since the same 
causes and like effects still surround us. 



DERRYFIELD SOCIAL LIBRARY. 

An opportunity has been afforded us to examine the book of 
records of the " Social Library," which has never been printed. 
Contrary to our first design, which contemplated a mere epito- 
me, we have thought best to reproduce the entire record, with 
the exception of the charter, which may be found in the first 
number of the published papers of the " Manchester Historic 
Association." A verbatim copy follows : 

At a Library Meeting held December 12th, 1796 

Voted to form a society by the name of the Proprietors of The Social Li- 
brary in Derryfield — 

Voted To Raise Two Dollars on each Right or share 

Voted Capt John Goffe Clerk to said Meeting 

Voted Daniel Davis Receive the money & purchase the books 

At a Library Meeting held January 12th 1797 
Voted Capt John Goffe Moderator 
Voted Daniel Davis Librarian & Clerk 
Voted Capt John Perham Daniel Davis & John Goffe Inspectors 



History of derryfield. ii^ 

At a Library Meeting held on the 6th November 1797 
Voted Capt John Goffe Moderator 
Voted Daniel Davis Librarian & Clerk 
Voted That the Proprietors keep their books three months 
Voted Capt John Perham, Daniel Davis, & David Young Directors 
Voted to accept Capt John Goffe book at 50 Cents 

Voted To Raise Fifty Cents annually as an increasing fund to support 
said Library 

At the Annual Meeting Held on Monday the 5th November 1798 At 4 
oClock P M 

Voted Daniel Davis Moderator 

Voted William Farmer Librarian & Clerk 

Voted Samuel P. Kidder, Daniel Davis, & William Farmer Directors 

Voted That the Words ( Derj-yfield Social Library Annual Meeting First 
Monday itt A^ovcniber )hfi printed in each book belonging to said Library 

Voted That the Fifty Cents as an increasing Fund be Omitted the ensu- 
ing year — 

Voted that the Two Vollumes of the Magazene shall be taken out & Re- 
turned as one other Vollume 

At the Annual Library meeting on the First Monday of November 1799 
at Four O Clock P M 

Voted Daniel Davis Moderator 

Voted Daniel Davis Librarian & Clerk 

Voted To Raise Fifty Cents on a share the present Year 

Voted Samuel P. Kidder, Daniel Davis & William Farmer Directors 

Voted that the Fifty Cents be paid to the Clerk by the 20th December next 

Voted That Daniel Davis Purchase the books 

Voted That new subscribers be admitted the year ensuing at two Dollars 
Each share 

Voted that no Proprietor that keeps a book three months shall take it out 
again at Return. 

[ Here follows the Charter.] 

At a Meeting Legally Warned and holden on Monday 3d Novr 1800 
Voted Capt John Perham Moderator 
Voted William Farmer Librarian & Clerk 

Voted Samuel P. Kidder, Benja F. Stark & Daniel Davis Directors 
Voted To Raise Fifty Cents on each share for purchasing New Books 
Voted Daniel Davis be the Person to purchase said Books 
Voted to allow Danl Davis $1.60 Cts for Paines writing 
Voted to Purchase two Blk Books one for the purpose of Making Records 
the other for accompts — 
Voted that the Clerk make the proper Records in said Books 



tl6 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 

Voted that Fifty Coppys of the Constitution be printed 
Voted that Benjn F. Stark be the person to hire the aforesaid printing — 
Voted that any person may be admitted the ensuing year For two Dollars 
Voted that the Directors be authoris'd to purchase a book Case for the 
use of the Proprietors. 

At the Annual Meeting holden on the First Monday in Novr 1801 at the 
House of Wm Farmer 

Voted Lft Benja F. Stark Moderator 

Voted Daniel Davis Librarian & Clerk 

Voted Samuel P. Kidder Daniel Davis & John Perham Directors 

Voted To Raise Fifty Cents on a share 

Voted that the Librarian Collect all arrearages by the First Day of Janu- 
ary next ensuing 

Voted that Daniel Davis Purchase the Books 

Voted that New Proprietors Come in at Two Dollar the year Ensuing 

The Subscribers Finding it necessary to Call a special Meeting do hereby 
Notify and warn the Proprietors of Derryfield Social Library to meet at the 
Dwelling House of Daniel Davis in said Derryfield On Monday the Fif- 
teenth Day of March next at Four OClock P. M to Act on the Following 
Articles (Viz) 

ist To Choose a Moderator to Regulate s'd Meeting 

2d To Choose a Clerk Librarian & one Director for the Remainder of 
the present year A punctual attendance of the Proprietors with their Books 
are Requested — 

Derryfield 24th Febry 1802 John Perham "i 

Daniel Davis > Directors 

Sam'l P Kidder ) 

At a Special Meeting Legally Warned & Holden on Monday 15th March 
1802 at the House of Daniel Davis — 
Voted Benja F. Stark Moderator 
Voted Saml P. Kidder Clerk & Librarian 
Voted David Flint Director 

We the Subscribers acknowledge ourselves to be members of the Derry- 
field Social Library Company and promise to Conform to all rules and regu- 
lations which may at any time be adopted by the society while we remain 
members of said society 

James Grififin paid Asa Haseltine sold his rights to his son 

Philip Haseltine Jr Asa 

John Dickey Jr paid David Flint 

Stephen Worthley Reuben Sawyer 

Peter Hills Ephraim White 

Moses Davis interest of John G. Moor Joseph Farmer Jr 



HISTORY OF DERRYFIELD. II7 

James Parker Wm Walker 

Jesse Baker Israel Webster 

Moses Heseltine for Pingrey James Nutt 

Amos Weston William Perham 

Isaac Huse David Webster Jr 

John Proctor Job Rowell 

Elijah A. Nutt John Ray 

John Hall Saml McAllaster 

John Frye paid By Book No 30 David Adams 

Nathan Johnson paid Phinehas Pettengail 

Daniel Hall Jr Ephraim Stevens 

John Dwinell Paid Jacob Chase 

Samuel Jackson John Stark Jr paid 

Nathaniel Conant Saml Moor Jr paid 

Phinehas Bayley Stephen Moor 

John Perham Joseph Moor paid 

Benja F Stark Robert Hall in lew of John Gammel 

Saml P Kidder Asa Heseltine 3rd 

[ These names were all signed in the handwriting of the subscribers. The 
following names were also written, but for some unknown reason were after- 
wards crossed out with a pen: " Benjn Leslie, Ann E Couch Paid Stephen 
Pingrey Wm Farmer transferd to John Gambel Mrs Edna Davis".] 

At a Library Meeting held on the first Monday of November 1802 
Voted Lt Benj F Stark Moderator 
Voted to admit new members at two Dollars Each 
Voted to Relinquish John Tufts fines 
Voted Saml Moor Jr Clerk and Librarian 

Voted Saml P Kidder Saml Moor Jr Capt John Perham Benj F Stark and 
David Adams directors 
Voted to except the Constitution in lue of the old one that was lost 
Voted that all fines due be paid the first of January 1803 

At the annual Library meeting held on 7th Novr 1803 
Voted, John Stark Moderator. 

Voted, to excuse Philip Heseltine Jr his taxes and fines for the Book case 
Voted, Philip Heseltine Jr Librarian — 
Cash on hand six Dollars and seventy two Cents 

Philip Heseltine ) 
Voted, Samuel Hall > Directors 

William Farmer ) 
Voted, to buy Gordens History and Rollins, s antient History 

At the annual meeting of the members of Derryfield social Library held 
on the fifth of November AD 1804 

Voted, to adjourn the meeting until the 12th of Novr 

Derryfield 12th Novr 1804 meeting being opened according to adjournment 

Voted, B F Stark Moderator 

Voted, to admit new members at two Dollars each down 



Il8 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 

Voted, Samuel P Kidder Treasurer — 

B F Stark ^ 

Samuel Moor Jr | 
Voted, Capt John Perham )>Directors 

John Stark Esq j 

Ephraim White J 
Voted, the Directors meet the first Monday in February May and August 
Voted, Benjamin Leslie Librarian and Clerk 

Voted, that the Librarian collect all the Debts and fines that now is or 
may become Due the year ensuing 

Voted, to give Lieut Daniel Davis two Dollars in full of all accounts he 
hath against the society — 

Voted, to abate Samuel Hall his fine of twenty five Cents 

Derryfield, November 4th 1805 at a Libraiarys Meeting held for the pur- 
pose 

Voted Saml P Kidder Moderator 
Voted to Choose three directors 

! Nathaniel Moor 
Ephraim White 
Capt John Perham 
Voted Samuel P Kidder Treasurer 
Voted New members be admitted for two Dollars 
Voted to Choose an agent to Collect the tax and the fines that are due 
Voted Capt Perham Collect the above tax &c 
Voted the Money be Collected in thirty days 

Voted the directors overhall the Books and Select out such as they think 
proper and sell them to the highest bidder this night 

Voted to Choose an agent to lay out the money and purchas the new books 
Voted Saml P Kidder purchas the Books 
Voted Saml Moor Jr Librarian and Clerk 

Derryfield November 3d 1806 Annual Meeting 

The proprietors of the Derryfield Social Library Met Novmr 3d agreeable 
to Constitution and acted on the following articles 

ist Voted Capt Joseph Moor Moderator 

2d Voted John G Moor Librarian and Clerk 

3d ) Lt Job Rowell 

Voted [ Benjamin Leslie 

Directors ) John G Moor 

4th Voted that Each man pay the Money which is due Before he recev a 
Book 

Voted New members Come in at 2 Dollars Each 

Voted to reconsider Capt Perham as Collector 

Voted John G Moor Collector of the whole 

Voted the Librarian Purchase the Books 



HISTORY OF DERRYFIELD. 1 19 

Voted the Librarian Call on the last years treasurer for Money which be- 
longs to the Library 

Derryfield November 2nd 1807 
At an annual Meetino^ of the proprietors of the Derryfield Social Library, 
holden at the house of John G Moor's in sd Derryfield, proceeded as follows 
Voted ist Lt Job Rowell Moderator 

2nd To ajourn this Meeting to the 2nd Monday in November to Meet at 
John Hall's Jr in sd Town at four of the Clock Afternoon 

Novemr 9th Mett according to ajournment 
Voted Mrs Farmer Clerk & Librarian 

James Nutt ) 

Voted John Stark, Jr [ Directors 

Job Rowell ) 
Voted the Directors Collect all Taxes & Moneys that shall be found due 
Voted not to raise Money the present year 

Voted the Directors sell all such Books as they may think proper 
Voted to Reconsider the 4th article in a Meeting of the year 1806 

At a meeting of the proprietors of the Derryfield Social Library holden at 
Mrs Farmers house on February 8th 1808 

Voted Joseph Moor Moderator 

Voted To Excuse Mr Flint one Dollar for the two first Taxes Charged to 
him 

Voted to relinquish 50c of Capt Moor's fine 

Voted The remainder of the fines be Colected 

Voted to Disolve this meeting 

Mrs Farmer Clerk &C 

Derryfield Novr 7th 1808 
At an anual Meeting of the proprietors of the Derryfield social Library, 
holden at the hous of Mrs Farmer's in sd Derryfield preceded as follows 
Voted ist Robt Hall Moderator 

Voted 2d To ajourn this Meeting to the ist Monday in December next at 
four of the Clock P. M. 

December 5th 1808 
Met according to adjournment and Chose Amos Weston Clerk and Li- 
brayan 

Samuel Moor Jr f 
Amos Weston | 
Voted Joseph Moor <[ Directors 
John Adams | 

Robert Hall L 

Voted the Directors Collect all the Money that shall be found due to Li- 
brary by the next annual meeting Voted the directors lay out the Money 
due to the Library and purchase the Books 



I20 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 

Derryfield 6th of November 1809 the proprietors of Derryfield social Li- 
brary met and voted as follows 

ist Voted to adjourn the meeting the 13 day of this month at 6 of the clock 
P M 

November 13th 1809 then met according to adjournment and Voted as fol- 
lows ist Amos Weston Clerk and Librarian the present year 

2nd Voted Amos Weston Collect all moneys due to the society and be 
treasurer 

3rd Voted Isaac Huse Esq Robert Hall & Saml Moor Jr be Directors the 
present year 

4th Voted that new proprietors be admited to the society on paying two 
Dollars 

5th Voted that the Laws of the State of New Hampshire be bought for 
the society 

6th Voted that the Laws of New Hampshire be returned within forty five 
days from the time it is taken out 

7th Voted the Directors purchase such Books as they see proper 

Manchester 5th of November 1810 
At an annual meeting of the proprietors of the Derryfield Social Library 
holden at the house of Amos Weston in S'd Manchester proceded as follows 
Voted ist Isaac Huse Moderator of sd Meeting 
Voted 2nd Amos Weston Clerk and Librarian 

Isaac Huse ) 

Voted 3d Samuel Moor Jr > Directors 
Robert Adams ) 

Manchester November 4th 181 1 
At an anual Meeting of the Proprietors of the Derryfield Social Library 
holden at the house of Mr Amos Weston in said town proced as follows 
Vot ist Isaac Huse Moderator 
Vot 2nd to adjourn this Meeting to the last Monday in November 

November 15 1811 
Met according to adjournment Voted Isaac Huse Librarian and Clark 

Job Rowell ') 
Voted Robert Adams > directors 

John Perham ) 
November 2d — 1812 Four of the proprietors met and agreed to ajorn our 
anual meeting to 16 Novr ins at 4 oclock P M 

Novr i6th 1812 Met agreable to ajournment 

Voted Samuel Moor Moderator 

Voted Moses Haseltine Librarian & clerk — 

Voted Capt Perham Job Rowell & Robert Adams directors 

Voted to Relinquish to Mr Ephraim White a claim of 50 cts 



HISTORY OF DERRYFIELD. 121 

Voted Isaac Huse Agent to Collect what appears to be due to the Incor- 
porators 

Manchester November ist 1813 Isaac Huse Moderator the proprietors 
Met and Agreed to ajorn our anuel meeting to the 15 of November Instant 
at Six oclock P M 

November the 15 1813 Met according to adjournment and voted to ajourn 
to the twenty Ninth of November Instant Met acrding to ajournment and 
procded as follows Voted Robt Perham Libirian and Clark 

Robert Adams ) 

Samuel Moor > Directors 

Job Rovvell ) 

November Manchester November 7th 1814 this Being the Day of the 
anual Meatting For the Proprietors of the Manchester Socel Library Not a 
Nuf to hold a meaten or to Do Buseness Chose John G Moor Moderator 
and adyourned the meating to this Day Fortnight at the house of Robert 
Perrams at four Clock P M 

November 21th this Day Met accordang to adjournment and Chose John 
Dwinnell Clark and lybrarein 

And 
Samuel Moor ( 

Samuel P Kidder } Durectors 
John Stark Esq ( 

November 6 — 1815 

The Members of Manchester Social Library Met and proceeded to the 
Choice of officrs for the year ensuing 
Choose John Stark Moderator John G Moor Clerk protem 
Choose ; John Dwinel Clerk & Librarian 

( Isaac Huse 
Directors < John Stark 
( Job Rowel 
Voted John Frye be Treasurer 

Voted that the directer be authorized to examin the Books and sell at auc- 
tion all such Books as they shall think propper for sale 

Voted that new propritors be admitted for the usual price of $2.00 
Voted to adjourn the meeting to the 20th November 

attest John G. Moor Clerk p t 
November 4th 1816 
At a meating of the Proprietors of the Derryfield Library holden at the 
house of John Dwinell on Monday the 4th of November 1816 and preceded 
as follows 

1 Chose John Stark Esq Moderator 

2 Chose John Dwinell Librarien and Clark and Colector and treausury 
Chose ( Isaac Huse ( 

John Frye < Drectors 
James Nutt C 



122 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 

November Monday the 3th 1817 
at a meatin^ of a number of the Proprietors of the Manchester Library 
holden at the house of John Dwinells and Chose Isaac Huse Esq Moderator 
and Voted to agorn said meeting till the 17th Day of November instant at 
4 oclock afternoon 

November 17th 1817 the proprietors of the Social Library met according 
to a agournment and Voted that Isaac Huse Esq stand Moderator of said 
meeting and Chose John Dwinell Clerk and libarien and Chose 

John Dickey i 

John Stark Esq [ Directors 
and Nathan Johnson ) 
and Chose Isaac Huse Colector and tresurer and Voted that all the fiens 
Due on the Book be Corlected 

Voted not to have anything to do with any Books of Elijah Nutt Except 
that one which was Excepted and that was the Columbian orator Price 
$o^7S John Dwinell Clark 

November Monday 2th 1818 
the members of the Manchester Sochal Library met and 

1 Chose James Griffen Moderator 

2 Chose John Dwinell Clark and Libaran 

3 Chose James Nut ) 

Capt Ephraim Stevens Jun > Derectors 

John Proctor ) 

4 Chose Israel Webster 3 (?) treasury 

5 Chose James Nut Collecttor 

6 Voted to adjorn this meeting till the first Mondy in febury Nex at 4 
oclock at the hous of said Dwinells 

Monday Febary ist 1819 Som of the Propritors Met according to agorn- 
ment and Chose John Dicken Moderator Protem and Did adjorn said meet- 
ing till the first Monday in march next at 4 oclock 

Novembr Monday the ith 1819 
At a meeting of the Proprietors of the Manchester Library Holden at the 
House of John Dwinell and Quimby and Chose Isaac Huse Esq Moderator 
and Chose John Dwinell Clark and librarien and Voted that the Clark Be 
autherized to Examon all the Books that are taken out of the Librey from 
time to time and to Examon them when taken in and to see if any Damiges 
are Don to any Book and to Prise the Damige Done and to keep a true a 
Count of Said Damage and make a Return of the same to the Directors at 
Each of their meetings and the Directors are to Exhibit the same at the 
aneuel Meeting and Chose Isaac Huse i 

and Jobe Rowell ] Directors 

and John Dickey ( 



HISTORY OF DERRYFIELD. 123 

Novembr Mondy the Sixth Day 1820 
This Day a full Number met at the house of John Dwinells and Elijah 

Quimby of the members of the Sochal lybry in Manchester and Voted John 

Dwinell Moderator of said meeting 
Voted John Dwinell Clark and lybarin and Voted Elisha Quimby for 

Clark Protem 

Chose Jams Grifin ^ Directors 

Samuel P k.dder Esq , p 

Capt Joseph Moor ( ^ 

Voted adjourn this Meeting until the ith Monday of Feb Next 1821 5 Day 

at 4 oclock 

John Dwinel Clerk 

Met agreeably to the adjournment and Read the Constitution and Voted 

as Follows 

ily to excuse Saml P Kidder from the office of Director 

Chose Robt Adams in his stead 

Voted to excuse said Adams 

Chose Capt Ephraim Stevens 2nd Director 

Voted to dismiss this Meeting 

John Dwinell }>Clerk 

Manchester Nov 5 1821 
Met at the Annual Meeting a Few of the Members and Voted to adjourn 
this meeting until Saturday the first day December Next at 4 Oclock P M 

Saturday December i. 182 1 met according to adjournment 
ist voted Capt Dwinell Moderator 
2d voted Samuel Jackson Librarian 
3d voted John Dickey ) 

John Gamble > Directors 

John Proctor ) 
4th voted to adjourn the meeting until the 4th Instant at three OClock P. 
M. to be holden at Dwinell & Ouimbys tavern 

Tuesday December 4th met agreeably to adjournment and voted to make 
a further adjournment until Tuesday the i8th of December instant at 4 
O. Clock P. M. to be holden at Dwinell & Quimbys tavern 

December 8th 1821 

We the directors met and examined the Library and found in said Library 

Seventy four Books besides those that are taken out — 

John Gamble \ directors 
John Dickey \ 

Manchester, December i8th 1821 

Met agreeable to adjournment 

Voted Coll Nathl Moor Moderator 

Voted S P Kidder Clerk and Librarian 



124 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 

Voted J. G. Moor Assistant Clerk 
Voted John Dickey l 

Robert Hall S Directors 
Robert Adams ) 
Voted Capt John Dwinell Collector 
Voted Samuel Jackson Treasurer 

Voted That an Inventory of all the Books be taken by the Directors pre- 
vious to the Removal of the Library 

S. P. Kidder, Clerk 

Manchester December 2th 1822 
this Day the Members of the Sochal Librey a Greeable to agornment 

1 and Chose John Stark Moderator 

2 and Chose John Dwinell Clark and Librarian 

the moderator has withdrawn 

3 Chose Jese Bakar moderator in the Room of said Stark 

4 Chose Ruben Sawyer ) 

Nathan Johnson [ Directors 
Job Rowell ) 

5 Voted that the Director shall Be Colectors of all moneys Bac 

6 Votted to Give mis Elize Stark hir fine 
Voted to Desolve said meeting 

Manchester November 3th 1S23 
this Day a Number of the membrs of the Sochal Librey met but not a Nuf 
to act Business only to open the meeten, and Chose John Proctoter modera- 
tor and adjorned said meeting untill the 17 Day of this Present month at 5 
oclock afternoon 

Manchester November 17th 1823 
this Day a nomber of the Proprietor met But not a Nuff to act Busies But 
have a Gorned said meeteen untill the first monday in November Next 

John Dwinell Clark 

Manchester November i Day 1824 

and a fool meeting of the Propriertors and held thir meeting and Voted as 
follows 

first Chose Israel webster moderator 

secontly Chose John Dwinell Librain and Clark 

thirdley Chose Capt Ephraim Stevens John Gambel and Isaac huse Di- 
rectors 

forthly Chose John Gambel Corlector 

fifthly Chose John Dwinell tresurer John Dwinell Clark 

1824 at a meeting of the Directors of the Derryfield Social Library Decem- 
ber II, 1824 
Examined the Records and found due to the said Library from sundrys 
persons — fines — $2,62 



HISTORY OF DERRYFIELD. 12$ 

Manchester December 25 1824 

This day settled with Lieut Job Rowell and found due to the Social Lybra 

seventy eight cents John Gamble ) r->- 

^ " Isaac Huse [Directors 

Manchester January 14th 1823 this Day Receved of Lieut Job Rowell the 
Sum of Seventy Eight Cents Receved by me John Dwinell 

November 7th 1825 
this Day a number of the Proprietors of the Social Library in Manches- 
ter met but not a nuf to hold a meeting But Called the meeting and Chose 
Isaac huse moderator and ajorned said meeting untill the 28 Day of Novem- 
ber instant John Dwinell Clark 

November 28th 1825 this Day the Proprietors of the Sochall Libre met ac- 
cording to ajornment tho not a Nuf to transact Busines and Voted to aGorn 
said meeting untill the first monday of November in the year 1826 at four 
oclock after Noon at the place whear the Libra is kept 

Manchester December nth 1826 this Day I the Subscriber have taken the 
Sochall Librey and 92 Books from John Dwinell which I am a Countabel 
for as witness my hand Daniel Hall 

Received December 8th 1827 the Social Library consisting of 81 volumes 
and it appears by Lieut Daniel Hall's account there are eleven Books out 

Samuel Jackson, Librarian 
Attest Ephraim Stevens Jr ) r^,>,^;tfo^ 
Job Rowell [Committee 

[The foregoing include all the meetings of the proprietors. Meetings of 
the directors were held during this time in November, 1817, December, 1819, 
January, 1823, November, 1823, February, 1824, September, 1825, and Novem- 
ber and December, 1826. Subsequently to the last meeting of the proprie- 
tors the directors held two meetings in 1828, and one each in 1829, 1830, 1831 
and 1832. The following books were bought in 1823 : " The holy War Price 
$0 80, Gaseteer Price 1-67, the life of Eaton 1-75 and one Vollom on the 
World to Come which we have receved of Mr finis Baley for a shear in the 
librey $2-00." In addition to the list of fifty-four subscribers before given 
on pages 116 and 117, we give the following additional names : John Goffe, 
Daniel Davis, David Young, John Tufts, Samuel Hall, Nathaniel Moor, 
John Adams, Isaac Huse, Robert Adams, Elizabeth Stark, Mrs. Farmer, 
Israel Webster, Thomas Stickney and Elisha Ouimby. Tlie whole number 
of names of proprietors as shown by these records appears to have been sixty- 
eight. Of these but four have middle names; nine have military titles; two 
have the title of "Mr." and two — John Stark and Isaac Huse — are honored 
with the title of "Esq." The whole number of books on hand in 1826 was 
eighty-seven, with "one Book misen."] 



126 CONTRIBUTIONS TO TH£ 

Eight additional names are given by Mr. William H. Huse, 
from records in his possession, which names appear in the paper 
before referred to. He gives also a list of books which exhibits 
some inaccuracies. In the copy of the charter which he repro- 
duces the attesting signature is given as " Philip Carrigian," but 
in the copy engrossed in our record-book it is given as '* Nathl 
Parker, Depy Secy." The appended lists give the titles of all 
the books bought, with the cost of each in pounds, shillings 
and pence up to the close of 1798, after which the accounts were 
kept in federal currency : 

The Proprietors of Derryfield Library Bot of E Larkin Boston 4th Jany 
1796 I Spectator 8 Vol ^1.16.0 i Fool Quality 3 V 15.0 i Newton on Proph- 
ecies 2 V 136 I Christian & Farmers Mag 2 V 18.0 i Cooks Voige 2 V 
15.0 I View of Religion 10.0 i Watts on the Mind 6.00 i Pleasing Instruc- 
tor 5.3 I Franklins Works 6.0 i Valuable Secrets 6.0 i Burtons Lectures 
5.3 I Farmers Letters 4.6 x Carvers Travels 50 i Female Jockey Club 
4.6 I Looking Glass for the Mind 4 6 i Forresters 6.0 i Pomfrets Poems 
4.0 1 Medical Pocket Book 4.6 i Ovids ,A.rt of Love 3.9 i History of Amer- 
ica 2.3 I Bold Stroke for a Wife 1.6 i Provoked Wife 1.6 i Agreeable 
Surprise 0.9 I Arabian Nights Entertainments 2 V 10.6 i Winchester's 
Dialogues 4.6 [This amounted to ^9.13.9.] Deduct 10 pr Ct 19.4 — leaving 
^8.14.5 I Blank Book 3.0 Equal to ^29 57 Seven Wise Masters Rome 06 
Howards Life 72 Priest Craft 3 Vol 2.09 Infant Baptism 50. Total 532.94 

The Proprietors of Derryfield Library Bot of E Larkin 

I Morses Geography 16.6 i Don Quixote 12.0 i Dyers Titles 6.0 i Ers- 
kines Sermons 6.0 i Doddridge Rise & Progress 53 i Ditto Sermons 3.3 
I Ditto Ditto 3.0 I Ditto on Regeneration 5.3 i Boyles Voyage 4.6 i Re- 
ligious Courtship 4.6 i Saunders Journal 3.0 i Ladys Miscellany 4.6 i 
Gentlemans Ditto 4.6 i Hive 4.6 i Rassalas & Dirabus 5.3 i Browns Ora- 
cles 3.9 I Christian Life 4.0 ^4.17.9 Discount 10 pr Ct 9.9 ^4.8.0 Equal 
to $14.67 Deer 1797 

The Proprietors of Derryfield Library Bot of E. Larkin Deer 26 1798 

I Josephar 6 Vol ^i.io.o i Mores Journal 10.6 i Robinsons Proofs 10.6 

^2.11.0 Discount 10 pr Ct 5.2 ^2.5.10 Equal to $7.65 

The Proprietors of Derryfield Library Bot of E. Larkin 26th Deer 1799 
I Goldsmith's Animated Nature 4 Vol 9.00 i Morses Gazetteer 2.50 i 

Pilgrims Progress 75 i Herveys Meditations 87 1-2 i Maria Cecilia 87 1-2 

14.00 Disct 10 pr Ct 1.40 $12.60 



HISTORY OF DERRYFIELD. 12/ 

Derryfield Social Library Salem Feb 12th 1802 Bot of Gushing & Appleton 

Adams History of England 2 25 Davis Sermons 2 Vol 4.00 Hunters Sa- 
cred Biography 3 V 6.00 Adams Flowers of Travels 2 V 2.00 Lendronis (?) 
American Revolution 2 V 2.00 Ortans Discourses to the Aged i.oo Life 
Joseph 62 1-2 Petitpierre on Divine Goodness 87 1-2 Pliillip Quarll 75 Re- 
pository 75 Dickinsons Five Points 75 Female American 75 i Blk Book 
2.00 I ditto I 00 24.75 Disct 10 pr Ct 2.47 1-2 $22.27 1-2 the Washing- 
tonia I ct (?) 

Manchester January ist 1813 
Mr Thomas Stickney Brot forward i Book Exercises of Piety i An Expli- 
catory Catechism i a Short and Easy Method with Deists 

In addition to the foregoing five volumes were subsequently 
bought of Capt. John Dwinell ; three of Job Rovvell, one of Mr. 
Piiineas Bailey and five volumes of Washington's Life, bought of 
Job Rowell ; two books were added in 1800 and one in 18 17. It 
appears from these records that the whole number of titles was 
eighty-two and the number of separate volumes not less than 
one hundred and twelve. In 1825 Betsey Kidder executed a 
deed to the I^ibrary, conveying her right and title to Jonathan 
Young. These names should be added to the list of proprietors 
previously given. It is probable that all the books were finally 
sold at public vendue. As each volume, by vote of 1798, was 
inscribed "Derryfield Social Library," etc., it is probable that 
some of these books are still in possession of the descendants of 
original proprietors or purchasers and may thus be identified. 
The suggestion is made that should any volumes of this curious 
collection be brought to light that they be deposited with the 
Manchester Historic Association for safe keeping. 

CONCLUSION, 

With this number we conclude the series of contributions to 
the early history of Manchester, throughout which we have kept 
up the pleasant fiction of Derryfield. The work has already 
outgrown our first design, but the field of inquiry is still inviting 
additional research. We have scarcely more than covered the 



;/ 



128 HISTORY OF DERRYFIELD. 



period antedating the first actual settlements in Derryfield, and 
in the events occurring from 1750 to the date of the city charter 
much matter of interest remains to be made of record. 

We may attempt the task of gleaning the field already reaped, 
gathering perchance here and there a straw which has been jolt- 
ed from the historical wain, and prolonging a little further the 
search amid fast disappearing annals. For the period following 
1841 the writer will have the advantage of personal recollection, 
and he has already reached that over-ripe stage of life in which 
the pictures of past events are more vivid than those of recent 
occurrence. We should be permitted to add that the work is a 
labor of love, undertaken and published wholly at the expense 
of the writer, with little prospect of reward, but he is abundantly 
satisfied if he has succeeded in casting an added light upon the 
fading pages of the past. 



4 



